Beyond the Break Room
by Discordia81
Summary: 22 year-old Bella Swan works for Edward Cullen, the 39 year-old VP at Providence Medical Center in Portland. After years of fighting the attraction, a tryst in the break room leads to a complicated relationship. Trying not to get caught by the prying eyes of their entire workplace, they're forced to hide their relationship and deal with his ex-wife and his 16 year-old daughter.
1. Chapter 1 - Providence Medical Center

**Disclaimer:** (CONTENT and LEGAL) All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.

The one-shot of this story was my entry for the Taste of the Forbidden Contest.

Big thanks to Sunflower3759 for beta-ing for me, and for helping me write the summary!

**This is the first part of the one-shot, so if you've read it already, I'm sorry it isn't anything new!**

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**Beyond the Break Room**

Tanya had a bit of a bad rep at work. She was extraordinarily beautiful, so I wasn't entirely surprised. The other girls got catty about her. Tanya had worked at Providence Portland Medical Center for four years, and I had been there for almost two and a half. She had trained me and we had clicked right away. Now, she was one of my closest friends. She had a foul mouth, a wicked sense of humor and a deep and abiding love for all things salacious and naughty. I wasn't quite as outspoken as she was, but she often pulled me out of my sometimes reserved shell.

Currently, we were eating lunch in the small courtyard located behind the hospital building where we worked. It was a gorgeous sunny day in Portland, and we were taking advantage of it. After being cooped up inside for an entire weekend studying, I was ready to feel a little bit of warmth on my skin. I was just about to take a bite of my veggie wrap when Tanya spoke.

"So, have you noticed the way Edward looks at you lately?"

"Edward who?" I tried to ask nonchalantly but it was futile. The idea that Edward Cullen might actually find me attractive was thrilling. I'd been eyeing him since I started working there.

"Cullen. Obviously. Edward Burton is old enough to be your great-grandfather." There were several Edwards who worked at the hospital, but they were all quite a bit older. Edward Burton was one of the other V.P.s who we saw fairly frequently in the office. He did appear to be approaching ninety years old. A very nice man, but hardly someone I was attracted to.

Edward Cullen however, well...attraction didn't even begin to cover it. He had been V.P. of Patient Relations since I started working at Providence, which made him my boss's, boss's, boss. The crush was entirely inappropriate really- I knew that- but it didn't make it any easier to watch him day in and day out and not act on it.

He said hello to me every single day when he came in, and if he left during the day for meetings or to run an errand he always made sure to say goodbye. He was unfailingly polite.

He was in his late thirties, and at twenty-two, I'd never been interested in guys that much older than me, but he was easy to make an exception for. He was a couple inches over six feet tall, fit, with a thick, healthy head of bronzed brown hair with just a tiny bit of grey at the temples. His voice was low and a little bit husky. He always looked me right in the eye when he spoke to me, and called me by my name. His eyes were a sparkling shade of green and he had the most fantastic smile ever. It was a little crooked, and made the corners of his eyes crinkle warmly.

He was unfailingly polite to everyone, but I wondered if maybe his gaze lingered on me a little bit longer. Or if his voice grew deeper and softer when he said my name. I had convinced myself I was imagining things until Tanya's comment.

"What do you mean?"

"I mean he looks at you like he wants to eat you. If only, right?" Tanya winked at me.

I sighed. "He is cute."

She scoffed. "Puppies and kittens are cute. That man is scorching."

I laughed and agreed before taking a large bite of my sandwich.

"You know, I wouldn't have pegged you for the older guy type," she mused.

"That's the thing, I'm not usually. But I'd make an exception for him."

She cackled and took a large bite of her sandwich. "You have it bad, girl."

I rolled my eyes. "It's a stupid pointless little work crush, it doesn't mean anything. It's not like anything could ever happen..."

She shrugged. "You don't know that. Maybe you could arrange to get locked in the supply closet with him."

I snorted. "Right, Tanya. Besides, he's married."

That made him doubly unapproachable.

"Not anymore," she sang, her blue eyes twinkling. She flipped a thick strand of strawberry-blonde hair over her shoulder and grinned at me.

"What?"

"Do you not pay _any _attention to the office gossip? He and Heidi are dunzo!"

"What the hell? How did I miss that?" I felt my heart speed up in my chest, and then scolded myself for letting it affect me at all. Married or not, Edward Cullen was so far from being a possibility it was ludicrous.

"No idea. Clearly you have your head in the clouds. They've been officially over for months, although I think they've been separated for a lot longer than that. Supposedly, he caught her in bed with Felix."

"No way." Heidi was a stunning raven-haired woman who worked as the director for the hospital fundraising department. She was incredibly driven and successful, and every bit as beautiful as Edward was. Felix however was a member of the board of directors and someone I found incredibly off-putting. There was a slimy, weasel-y air about him, and I couldn't imagine anyone choosing him over Edward.

Tanya cackled. "Way. Check out his ring finger tonight when he leaves..."

Of course, that was the day he had an afternoon meeting off campus, so I didn't see him until the following morning. I spent the afternoon trying to focus on my work and failing miserably. At the end of the day I sat back in my seat with a sigh and Tanya gave me a knowing smile. The office was quiet and I took a moment to look around.

I worked in the patient registration department at the medical building right next to the main hospital. It was where all the doctor and hospital administration offices were located, and also where all of the outpatient testing was done. Registering patients for lab work and x-rays wasn't wildly exciting, but it was a steady job, with good pay and easy work when it came right down to it. Tanya worked there with me, along with Shelly Cope, Liz Harper and Amber Tripp. Shelly was an older divorced woman who had worked there since she was my age. She knew every inch of the hospital and had taken me under her wing when I started. I was much less fond of Liz and Amber. They weren't horrible to work with, but they could get pretty catty and gossipy. Liz was unhappily married and Amber was perpetually single. They spent most of their day whining about how men were assholes, and frankly I was sick of hearing it.

The ringing phone finally snapped me out of my thoughts and I got back to work. Every moment of down time I had though, my mind wandered to Edward. There was something about him that made my heart race and my palms sweat. I hadn't crushed that hard on anyone since I was thirteen and in love with my twenty-one-year-old neighbor. _Okay, maybe I did have a thing for older guys,_ I realized.

Still, the seventeen-year age gap between myself and Edward wasn't insignificant. And despite what Tanya said, I had no reason to think that Edward actually thought of me any more than my hot neighbor ever had. There were plenty of attractive women closer to his age here, and I had no doubt that once news of Edward's divorce was made public, he'd have no trouble finding an equally stunning replacement for Heidi.

Despite my preoccupation with thinking about Edward, my day did finally end and I went home, grateful to be done. Unfortunately, going home didn't end the onslaught of thoughts about him.

In the morning, I thought about my conversation with Tanya and mentally reminded myself to check for a ring. I was sitting at my desk logging in to my computer when Edward got to work.

"Morning, Bella." Edward smiled at me as he passed by and I automatically smiled back, brushing my hair away from my cheek.

"Morning, Mr. Cullen," I murmured.

I_ was supposed to look for something,_ I thought dazedly as I turned and stared after him. It wasn't until he'd rounded the corner that I realized just what it was. _Damn it, I was supposed to check out his ring finger. Not his ass. _I stationed myself at the desk and barely left it for the rest of the day. I took a short lunch and practically sprinted to and from the bathroom. I was rewarded when he walked by mid-afternoon. Instead of looking at his face I glanced down at his left hand. It was sickening how fast my heart raced at the sight of his bare ring finger. He was pale, so there was no stripe from where he'd taken it off. But where a silver toned ring had sat, there was now just bare skin.

I must have made a sound because I heard him ask softly," Are you all right, Bella?"

I glanced up at him; my eyes wide, and his worried green ones met mine.

"Yeah, I'm fine," I said automatically. But I wasn't sure I meant it. _Holy shit he wasn't married anymore,_ I thought. _Holy shit, holy shit, holy shit._ He glanced down to where my eyes had been trained on his left hand. When he looked back up, the corner of his mouth lifted in an almost imperceptible smile. Instead of continuing on, he stood by my desk, staring at me. Our eyes were locked on each other and it was like we couldn't look away. I felt my heart beat faster in my chest and I licked my lips, feeling the overwhelming urge to reach up and touch him.

Dimly aware of Amber and Liz sitting just a few feet away, I cleared my throat when he didn't say anything. "Is there something I can help you with, Mr. Cullen?" I said finally.

"Edward," he said absently.

"I'm sorry?"

"Please, call me Edward." His voice was soft, and warm sounding.

"All right. Is there anything I can do for you, Edward?"

His eyes flashed with a heat that surprised me; although it faded so fast I wasn't sure if maybe I had imagined it. After a moment he seemed to pull himself together and his voice returned to normal. "I have a meeting this afternoon and I just remembered I have some copies I need to make before it begins. Any chance I could get you to do that for me?" He gave me a lopsided smile that made my heart race in my chest.

"Uh, sure." I was surprised that he asked me, when he had an administrative assistant named Pat who normally took care of those things. Maybe she was out for the day or something. It wasn't really in my job duties, but it wasn't like I was going to turn down a simple request from someone who worked in Administration, particularly Edward. He slipped the paper from his soft-sided leather briefcase and handed it to me. "How many do you need?"

"Fifteen."

"I'll be back in just a moment."

But instead of staying by my desk or taking a seat, he followed me. The copy room was centrally located between the back entrance to the administration offices, patient relations, and HR. It was deserted at the moment, and I noticed my hands shaking as I put the page he'd handed me in the copy machine and entered in the number of copies. I could smell his cologne and I realized I'd never actually been that close to him before. I felt him lean close to me, and his scent intensified, filling my nostrils. It was light and crisp, expensive smelling, and it made my head spin. I could feel the heat from his body and the sleeve of his shirt as it grazed my hip.

"I think you have to push this." His voice was low in my ear as he leaned over me to reach the Start button. I flushed; embarrassed that I was so wrapped up in him that I couldn't even make copies properly.

"Uh, oh…sorry," I stammered.

"That's okay." He was still leaning over me and could feel his warm breath on my ear. I suppressed a shudder of pleasure and took a deep breath, my fingers tightening on the copier. He was so close I felt the rise and fall of his breathing against my shoulder blades. A shiver skittered over my body, making me flush hot and then cold. We both stood there for a long minute as the copier whirred and spat out copies. I shifted minutely, aware of how aroused his nearness was making me. The copier went silent as it finished and neither of us moved a muscle for several long moments. Eventually, he sighed and shifted back. I leaned down to grab the papers and I heard him groan quietly.

The paper was warm from the machine, but his fingers were even warmer as I turned and handed them to him. He set his briefcase down on the counter and slipped the copies into a folder inside, but not before I saw an identical stack of copies already in there.

_What the hell?_ I wondered. _Had he really asked me to re-copy something he already had?_

_Maybe he forgot he had them_, I rationalized. _Or maybe he realized he needed twice as many as he initially thought._ There were a thousand logical reasons he could have had me make copies for him. In a daze I followed him out of the copy room and back to my desk. He left the office with a lopsided smile and I spent the rest of my day thinking of nothing but him.

The next day, I spent longer than usual getting ready. A soft, cream-colored v-neck sweater and a black pencil skirt with black heels were sexy without being inappropriate for work. And he definitely noticed it. He spent a little longer speaking to me in the morning than usual, and Liz and Amber gave me nasty looks when he left. I was floating on Cloud Nine and couldn't have cared less what those biddies thought. Unfortunately, he was in a hurry on his way out at the end of the day. We didn't talk, but he waved as he walked by with the Jasper Whitlock, director of Marketing. Jasper was a bit younger than Edward and quite handsome as well. He gave me a disarming grin as they passed and I smiled back, totally unaffected by it. Jasper's smile just didn't give me the same fluttery feeling in my stomach Edward's did.

The rest of the week passed in the same fashion. Edward was friendly, but not overly flirtatious. Still, there were subtle touches of his fingers against mine as I handed him the newspaper, his eyes lingered on my cleavage whenever I wore something even slightly low-cut, and if we passed in the hallway he would gently place his hand against my lower back to get around me. I lived for those subtle moments, reliving them over and over. I felt vaguely pathetic. I was a twenty two year old college student panting after a man old enough to be my father. But there was something about Edward that made my head spin and my heart beat faster. I'd been in relationships before, even been in love, but I'd never felt attraction like this before.

The problem was, it never seemed to progress any further. He didn't try to make any moves and sadly, neither did I. I wanted to. If he'd been a guy I'd met in the classes I took at UP, I wouldn't have hesitated to make the first move. I wasn't shy and I had no problem being assertive when it came to asking a guy out. But a University of Portland student was a far cry from an Executive at the hospital I worked for. Not to mention the fact that I saw him every day and my department reported to him. There wasn't a no-fraternizing policy for the hospital as a whole, but there was a very strict policy about relationships with power asymmetry, and sexual harassment, and Edward and I fell squarely in that category.

With a sigh, I mentally put my fantasizing about him aside and tried to remind myself it was all for the best. Maybe he did find me attractive, but there was no way he was interested in me enough to pursue something, and chances were he'd be dating a woman his own age in no time anyway. Not a twenty-two-year old student who was taking forever to finish her degree in marketing. It was disappointing, but I had to be realistic about it.

Weeks passed and I struggled to maintain my composure around Edward. The heated looks he gave me hadn't faded, and it seemed like he found any number of excuses to ask me for my help. They were small, inconsequential tasks that anyone could have done, but he always asked for me. I knew his administrative assistant, Pat, and she was very capable. There was no reason she couldn't have done everything I did for him. But I certainly didn't turn him down when he asked.

Amber and Liz kept giving me suspicious and hostile looks whenever Edward paid any attention to me, but I refused to even acknowledge it. Other than a few flirtatious glances, Edward and I hadn't done anything to deserve their judgemental stares.

Almost a month and a half after my conversation with Tanya I received a phone call. It was late afternoon and the rush of patients had slowed to a trickle. I was tidying up my desk when his name flashed on the display of my phone- E. Cullen- and his extension. With shaking hands, I picked up the phone and answered it.

"Patient Registration, this is Bella speaking, how may I help you?"

"This is Edward Cullen."

"Yes, sir, how can I help you?"

"Uh, well, I need you in my office." His voice was sounded strained and I had no idea how to respond.

"Sir?"

"Uhm… I need you to come in my office," he said, his voice dipping lower, and sounding throatier when he said the word come, but he recovered quickly. "Shit, I mean, I need you to come _to_ my office to notarize something for me."

"Of course, I'd be happy to help you out with that," I said, amused by how flustered he sounded. Was he really that flustered by _me_? "When do you need it to be done by?"

"Uh, well, whenever is convenient for you. I'll be here all afternoon."

"We have a couple of patients in line, and I should probably help with that, is twenty minutes all right?"

"Of course. Patients first," he joked. It was the hospital motto that we had drilled into us constantly.

I laughed. "I'll be there as soon as I can."

He hung up without answering and I let out a nervous chuckle, still completely flabbergasted by his phone call. Not to mention the unintentional suggestive statement he'd made. I managed to help a couple more patients before I excused myself. All I told Liz was that an executive needed my help notarizing something and she rolled her eyes and waved me off. I forwarded my phone and swung by the bathroom for a quick check to make sure my hair wasn't a mess and my lipstick looked okay. My heart raced in my chest as I straightened my black cardigan and smoothed down my grey pencil skirt. At least I looked good. I just had to try not to act like an idiot around Edward.

Pat smiled at me when I stopped at her desk. She was a grey haired grandmother who was Edward's assistant, and managed his schedule with a precision that only came with years and years of experience.

"Go right in, Bella," she said. "Mr. Cullen is expecting you."

"Thanks, Pat." I smiled at her and gently opened the door to his office. He was sitting at his desk, hunched over, with his fist gripping a handful of his hair. His head flew up when the door opened and he stared at me wide-eyed.

"Mr. Cullen?" I said softly.

"Ahh, yes, please come in, Bella." He stood and walked over to me, gently pushing the door most of the way closed. He gestured toward the chair in front of his large, wood desk. "Have a seat."

His office was warm and masculine, yet simple, and clean looking. His desk was cleared of papers and even the pens were all uniform. He had several diplomas on the wall, although the glare from the window obscured where they were from. He had almost no personal items in his office, though, and I found myself disappointed that I couldn't learn more about him being here.

I took a seat on the comfy chair and pulled my pen, stamp and seal from my bag. "What is it you'd like me to notarize?" I asked.

I leaned forward to fill out the notary log that I used to keep track of the documents I signed and looked up when he didn't reply.

"Mr. Cullen?" I said

"Edward," he said absently, still staring at me. I glanced down and realized that the black lace-trimmed camisole I was wearing had fallen forward, leaving a gap between it and my chest. From my angle, you could see to the tops of my black lacy bra, and if he could see half as much I thought he could, Edward was getting a great show.

"Edward," I said softly, hesitating just a beat longer, before sitting up. His eyes stayed locked on my body; heated, hungry, _desperate_. His jaw was clenched and I saw his hand curl into a fist on top of his desk. The hand in his lap moved, and although I couldn't actually see it, I imagined he was adjusting his cock.

The thought made me shift in my chair as an ache settled between my legs at the thought of him being aroused by me. I drew in a deep, shaky breath, feeling my heart begin to speed up. He awkwardly thrust a file folder over to me, and I shook my head, needing to clear my thoughts if I was going to do this without making a mistake. I scanned over the document and signed and dated it in the appropriate places. It wasn't until the second to last page that I made a mistake.

Edward let out a quiet groan of frustration as he looked at his computer screen, and for a moment I could imagine the way he'd sound in bed. The way his voice would go rough and low as he gasped out his pleasure. My hand shook as I began to scrawl my name.

"Are you all right?" he asked and I looked up at him. The pure, blazing desire in his eyes made my breath falter. I clenched my thighs together as we stared at each other. His body was tense and I could see the muscles in his neck and jaw clench. He wet his lips and the sight of his tongue peeking out made me shift in my chair. _Jesus, at the rate we were going, he was going to make me come just from the look he was giving me_, I thought.

"Yes," I finally said shakily. I looked down at the sheet of paper I'd been signing and realized that instead of signing Isabella M. Swan, I'd signed it Isabella M. Cullen. _What the hell was wrong with me?_ I hastily scratched it out and turned it over.

"I'm sorry, I wrote down the incorrect date," I lied. "Can you print off another copy of page eleven?"

He nodded, his eyes still intently scrutinizing me. "Of course. Just toss it in the shred bin there."

He gestured to the one across the room. There were locked boxes located all over the building, used for disposing of confidential files. A company came around to pick them up and take them to a facility to be shredded. At least no one would see my idiotic mistake. Especially Edward.

"I'm…I'm sorry," I stammered, embarrassed for messing up in front of an executive, and more importantly, Edward.

He waved it off. "It's fine. Happens all the time to me. Every year, Pat has to fix my errors with dates for most of January and February until I get used to putting in the new year."

I gratefully disposed of the incriminating paper as he printed off another copy for me. Our fingers brushed when he handed it over. I sighed, and noticed the way his fingers lingered against mine.

I finished signing, and stamped and sealed all of the pages, giving it a thorough inspection before I handed it over to him. He smiled warmly at me. "Thank you so much for your help, Bella, I really appreciate it."

"It's no problem. I was glad to help," I said softly. I stood up to leave and he followed me to the door. He stood close behind me as I lingered there, not wanting to leave his office.

He stepped close behind me, and through the several inch gap in the door, I could see that Pat was not at her desk. It was nearly lunchtime, and about half of the other PA's had left as well. It was quiet, and no one was looking in our direction. I could feel the heat from his body and I shivered when a warm puff of air left his lips and hit the back of my neck. My hair was up in a messy bun and it left my neck bare.

My hand closed on the edge of the door, but I didn't move to open it. I felt his fingertips skim lightly across my upper arm, barely even touching the fabric there. They traveled down my arm, to hover over the skin the three-quarter length sleeves left bare. He wasn't even touching me, really, but it left a tingling feeling in its wake. His thumb curved around to the soft skin of my inner wrist and when his skin finally touched mine I nearly gasped. The simple touch of his thumb there made me feel like he was touching me everywhere. I could feel the ghost of his skin against mine on the curve of my breast and my inner thighs. I bit down on the inside of my cheek to keep from moaning.

"Bella," he whispered. I could hear the tremor in his voice and I leaned just a little, so my back met his broad, firm chest.

"Yes?"

"I…" His voice cracked but he didn't continue. He softly stroked his thumb against my pulse point and I felt a shiver skitter across my body. We stood there for the longest time until he finally sighed and pulled away. My body ached everywhere, like it physically hurt to be away from him and I felt disappointment sweep through me as I walked away.

I hardly saw him at all in the next few days.

One evening after work, I was bent over, reaching for my lunch bag that had been pushed to the back of the fridge, when I heard a strangled voice calling my name.

I whirled around and my heart leaped in my throat at the sight of Edward standing in the doorway with a shocked look on his face and an impossible to disguise erection. My eyes lingered there, hardly daring to believe what I was seeing. _Was he really that hard at just the sight of my ass?_ He flushed and cleared his throat, moving his suit jacket that was draped over his arm to cover himself. Forget all my reasons for not making a move on Edward, _this_ was proof that he was attracted to me and I was going to take advantage of it.

"How did you know it was me, Edward?" I said huskily.

"Your..." He cleared his throat. "Your hair."

I didn't believe him for a moment, and instead of replying, I just smirked at him.

"You're here late," he commented after a moment.

"Yeah. I needed to sort through my desk and get things organized, but I never have time while the office is open."

"Are you still on the clock?"

"No, I punched out at my usual time."

"You should get paid, it's work related," he chided me.

"It's fine. I don't mind. I don't have anywhere I need to be right now."

"No boyfriend wondering why you aren't home yet?"

"Uh no, I'm not seeing anyone right now."

"Oh."

We were both silent for a moment until he cleared his throat.

"Be careful when you leave. It's getting dark out and I would hate for you to be walking in the ramp alone. The building is pretty much deserted."

"I will. Thank you."

"Or, I could walk you to your car, if you wanted."

"It's not necessary, but thank you."

"Please, I insist."

"Um, all right, just give me a moment to get my things together." I opened the refrigerator again and dug through the back of it to grab my food. Once again, when I stood up Edward's eyes were glued to my ass. Feeling suddenly bold I sauntered over to him. "I don't think it's my hair you were staring at."

"No, err..." He cleared his throat for the umpteenth time. Clearly I was making him nervous. "I wasn't trying to stare."

"I didn't say I minded." I stepped closer to him and he gulped and moved to step back but the edge of the doorframe was directly behind him. I reached up and lightly brushed my fingers across his blue silk tie as if removing a piece of dust.

"Bella...I..."

"What, Edward?"

He drew in a deep breath and the hopeful, yearning expression on his face was suddenly gone. "We should go."

"Why?"

"Well, I'm sure you have plans for tonight."

"No, none at all." I straightened his tie and my fingers brushed against his smooth jaw. "You?"

"I...uh...no, I don't."

"I'm surprised," I said.

"Why is that?"

"I can't imagine you spend too much time without...companionship."

"You'd be surprised," he said bitterly. He turned his gaze on me. "I could say the same for you."

"I often find myself without someone...more often than not, really."

"I am sorry to hear that." His fingertips hovered around my waist, just millimeters from touching me.

I shrugged. "It's...frustrating sometimes. I don't mind being on my own most of the time, but there are certain benefits to having someone else around. Some things another person is just so much better at than I am. There are only so many times one can take things into one's own hand before it gets...tedious."

"I've found that too..." he admitted, the look of desire flaring in his eyes; hot and needy.

"Is there perhaps something I could help you out with, Edward?" I asked, a little shocked at how bold I was being. But I was so tired of the way we'd been tiptoeing around each other. I wanted him. Desperately. And even though I knew all of the reasons why it shouldn't happen, it suddenly felt thrillingly illicit, instead of a reason to stay away.

He closed his eyes and took a deep breath. "Much as I'd like to take you up on that, I'm afraid it wouldn't be advisable."

"Why?"

"I...I'm old enough to be your father, Bella."

"I don't have a problem with your age, Edward. Do you have a problem with mine? I am an adult after all."

"Well yes, I know you're an adult. It's just the difference in age."

"Is that really your best argument?"

"There is the fact that I'm your boss."

"Well, Emily is my boss, Jane is her boss and you are Jane's boss." I tapped the ID badge that he had clipped to his suit.

"Err, well yes. Still, I'm an Executive here, it wouldn't be appropriate to pursue anything with another employee, particularly since you report to me, and it would clearly violate the employee code of conduct." The stiff, formal tone belied the trembling of his hands and the way his eyes followed my lips with every word I spoke.

The look on his face was one of a man in conflict. His brow was furrowed his mouth turned down in a frown and the worry in his eyes was clear.

I sighed. "If you don't want me, Edward, by all means, say so. I'm certainly not trying to convince you to do something you don't _want_ to do. I am trying to convince you to do something you seem to think you _shouldn't_ do. But it is of course entirely up to you."

I brushed past him and gathered up my bag and coat, my hands shaking. It hurt more than I could say, to know that he wasn't nearly as attracted to me as I was to him. I knew how dangerous pursing anything was, but I couldn't fight the attraction any longer. Clearly, he could.

Before I could even get the coat on he was behind me, helping me with it.

"Thank you," I whispered, feeling suddenly foolish for how hard I had been pursuing him when he clearly wasn't interested in me. Or at least not interested enough. Humiliation warred with lingering desire.

He followed beside me silently as I walked to my car and he said goodbye quietly before gently shutting my door. I made it home and into my pajamas before I cried. I was a wreck after that. I felt humiliated for throwing myself at him. I knew he found me appealing, at least on some level, but obviously not enough, and that was bitter and hurtful. After devouring far more mint chocolate chip ice cream than was necessary, I curled up in bed and fell asleep, disappointed and frustrated beyond belief.

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	2. Chapter 2 - The Break Room

Notes: If you read the one-shot, this chapter is going to be familiar, but there are some new parts for you to enjoy! Next chapter is almost all brand-new!

Big thanks to Sunflower3759 for beta-ing for me, along with LisaDawn75. Couldn't do this without you!

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The following day was a Saturday, and when Tanya and I met for lunch, I told her about the conversation I'd had with Edward.

She was outraged, her big blue eyes wide with shock. "But I've seen the way he looks at you, Bella!"

I smiled sadly. "I know. But he gave me a bunch of reasons why it wasn't a good idea, and I think I've humiliated myself enough, thanks. I fucking threw myself at him, and he declined. I am certainly not about to do it again." I was pleased that my voice was steady, even though I honestly felt like crying. Again.

She frowned. "Well, maybe he'll change his mind or something… You never know."

"Maybe." I was not at all hopeful about that happening.

"And you can always tease him a little bit next week. Dress up and leave him hot and bothered."

"That I might do," I mused. "If nothing else, I'd feel great. And he'll know what he's missing out on."

"Exactly."

**~BtBR~**

On Sunday night, I flipped through the pieces in my wardrobe. I was pretty thrifty, and although I hadn't spent much on the clothing, I had some nice pieces. Thrift stores and consignment shops had helped me build a nice professional wardrobe. _I definitely don't want to go trashy_, I mused. Edward wasn't that kind of guy. Besides, I was trying to be somewhat subtle about the fact that I was torturing him. I put the red, low-cut blouse back in the closet. _He'd like texture and mysterious pieces that hinted, rather than shouted_, I decided. I put together several outfits for the week, and the next morning I got up a few minutes early to spend a little extra time getting ready.

I figured Edward and I would go back to our usual routine. He would say hello in the morning, say goodbye to me in the evening, and he wouldn't flirt with me at all. No harm, no foul. I'd just have to continually remind myself that this was probably for the best, even if it didn't feel that way.

I couldn't have planned it better if I had tried. I was leaning over my desk on Monday morning trying to retrieve a folder that had fallen behind the hanging files when he walked by. I was facing him when he walked in, and I looked up at him. I was sure he could see a little way down my shirt, although not far enough to see my bra.

"Morning, Bella," he said, his eyes lingering on the neckline of my shirt.

"Morning." I stood up and smiled at him.

"How are you?" He looked nervous all of a sudden, as if I was going to start yelling at him for the way things had ended between us on Friday…or report him to HR.

"Great. I had a really good weekend," I lied. "You?"

"I've had better. Did you have big plans for the weekend?"

"Oh no, just something that kind of came up spontaneously, but the companionship was nice."

It was cruel of me to use that word when I knew it would drive him crazy wondering what I meant by it. My lunch date with Tanya on Saturday and study group on Sunday were a far cry from the weekend he was probably picturing. For a moment, I was viciously pleased that he was probably imaging me with another guy.

"Ahh, yes, well, have a nice day," he said a bit stiffly.

"You, too." I gave him a friendly smile and went back to work.

**BtBR**

The week continued much in the same vein. Edward passed by in the morning, and I was friendly and dressed to tease. If we passed in the hall or happened to brush by each other, I was subtly flirty. The final nail in the coffin was Thursday at lunchtime. The best part was it was completely accidental.

I glanced up at the next patient who stepped in front of my desk to register to see an old friend of mine.

"Emmett!" I got up from my desk and hurried around it. I gave him an enthusiastic greeting, and he hugged me back. "I can't believe you stopped by! What are you doing here?"

"I thought I'd surprise you for lunch, if you have the time to go."

"I'd love to. I'm headed out in a few minutes anyway; can you wait until I finish up this email and get my things together?"

"Of course."

Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Edward in the lobby just outside our office door. _Did he see my interaction with Emmett? _I wondered. If he hadn't, it wasn't a big deal, but if he had, so much the better. I hastily saved my email and logged off of my computer before grabbing my bag. I waved casually at Edward, who was loitering in the lobby on his cell phone. He gave me a half-hearted wave and glowered at Emmett.

I cuddled up to Emmett who gave me a one armed hug and a kiss on the top of the head - not at all an unusual greeting for us. "So, where are you taking me to lunch?" I asked.

We walked out the door arm-in-arm, and I didn't miss the scowl on Edward's face.

Once we were in his Jeep, Emmett turned to look at me. "What was that all about?" he asked.

I gave him a sheepish grin. Emmett had been my absolute best friend growing up, and I had never been any good at hiding things from him. Being a cop really didn't help the issue, either. He had a sixth sense for when I was lying.

"Trying to make a guy jealous," I admitted.

"The old guy in the suit?"

_Shit, of course he noticed,_ I thought.

"He's not old." I scowled at Emmett.

"Too old for you."

"No, he isn't."

"Come on, Bella; you can do better than that."

"Edward is a great guy. Besides, I'm not planning to spend the rest of my life with him; I just want to get laid."

"Like he can even get it up anymore," Emmett scoffed.

"Emmett!" I said, laughing. "He's not even forty yet."

"Still old enough to be your father," he muttered. Clearly, his over-protective instincts were kicking in, although I thought that had ended with high school. Apparently not.

"Well, technically, yes, but that's hardly the point."

He didn't comment, and we were both silent as we drove to a little deli down the road and went inside. Once we were settled at a table and we had placed our orders, I turned the attention to him. "So, why are you in Portland, anyway?"

"Oh, a stupid state-wide training thing for cops. Some sensitivity thing." He made a face. "I'm sensitive."

I rolled my eyes at him. "You're a moose with no verbal filter is what you are."

"Hey," he protested. "I am damn good at my job, and I know when to act appropriately."

"I know you do; I'm just teasing. How's Rose, by the way?"

"Fantastic. She's out of the first trimester and feeling great." He grinned, thinking about his pregnant wife. The smile lit up his face, making his dimples show and his soft blue eyes sparkle.

"I am so excited for you guys. Do you know if it'll be a boy or a girl yet?"

"Nah, we're going to wait to find out."

Emmett and I spent lunch catching up. We'd grown up together in Silverton, a small town about an hour south of Portland, and he still lived there. He was a deputy of the local police department under my father, Chief of Police, Charlie Swan. For years, my father been convinced that Emmett and I were going to end up together, but when Rosalie Hale sailed into town and snagged him, even Charlie had to admit that they were good together. I loved Rose, and she'd easily accepted my friendship with Emmett and become my friend, as well. Unfortunately, I didn't see them often, and I missed them both.

Edward wasn't around when I got back from lunch, and he didn't return at all that afternoon. In fact, I hardly saw him all week.

**BtBR**

On Friday night, I was in a hurry to leave. My friend, Alice, was going to be visiting, and I was so excited to see her. We had gone to high school together but hadn't seen each other in at least a year. She was one of my favorite people in the world and a brilliant painter. She lived in Seattle, but she was in Portland to visit me, and we had plans for the weekend.

She called while I was struggling to throw my things in my bag and get out of the office.

"Hey!" I answered the phone excitedly. "I am headed out of work now. I'll meet you in twenty, okay?"

"Sounds good. I've missed you."

"I've missed you, too," I said softly. "We shouldn't have let it go so long..."

"Definitely not. But we have the whole weekend."

"I'm yours for the whole weekend, I promise."

"Love you."

"Love you, too."

I hung up the phone and turned around to put my coat on. To my surprise, Edward was standing there with a look of shock on his face.

"Hey, Edward, you all right?"

He cleared his throat gruffly and shook his head. "I'm fine. You?"

"Great. I'm looking forward to the weekend." I glanced over at the clock on the wall. "Actually, I'm running late. I need to be at the bar."

"Have a nice weekend," he said stiffly. "Be safe."

"I will, Edward, thanks." I smiled at him. It wasn't until I was halfway to the bar that I realized what he had probably assumed from my conversation with Alice. It sounded like a conversation with a lover or boyfriend, rather than a platonic, female friend. And knowing Edward, he'd assumed just that. The corners of my lips turned up into a small smile at the thought. _Well, serves him right._

Alice was waiting at the bar when I got there, and I hugged her enthusiastically. She was such a sweetheart, and I hated that we didn't get to see each other more often.

"How are you?" I asked, and she laughed and shook her head, her short, dark hair flying around her face.

"I'm going to need about three drinks before I answer that one."

"Oh, no! Come on; let's get started then, because I'm in desperate need of drinks, too."

We took a seat at a small table, and the waitress blinked in surprise when we ordered half a dozen shots, but she didn't argue. Once we'd downed them, Alice sat back with a sigh.

"What's up, Alice?" I asked. She frowned, and I observed her carefully. She was normally a happy, well-adjusted person. It was rare to see her so down.

Alice was a landscape painter in Seattle. She sold her work at a number of galleries in the city and was doing remarkably well. She was a couple of years older than me, and we'd met in high school when she had moved with her mom from Seattle to Silverton, Oregon, her junior year of high school when her parents got divorced. She'd gone back to Seattle for college, and I hated that we saw each other so rarely now.

She began. "Well, you know my ex-boyfriend, James, right?"

"Yeah, but I hadn't realized you'd broken up."

She rolled her eyes. "Oh, I have a lot to catch you up on then."

I'd never met James; they'd barely begun dating last year when I went to Seattle to visit her. But she'd seemed really happy with him, and I was surprised to hear they'd broken up.

"Okay. Tell me all about it." I smiled at her, and she grimaced.

"Well, the asshole was apparently trying to pass my work off as his."

"What?"

"Yeah. He submitted some of my work as his to galleries around the country. It was new pieces, stuff I hadn't even sent to the Seattle galleries yet."

"What an asshole!" I fumed. "How long had he been doing that for?"

She shrugged. "Months, I guess. He was really jealous of how successful I am."

"How did you find out?"

She snorted. "The idiot was too stupid to put away the letter they sent him telling him they were interested in the work. I ran across it one night at his place and asked him to show me what he'd submitted. We both photograph our work, and I have my pieces organized into a portfolio for when I meet with new gallery owners. I knew he did the same, so I figured he'd just show me. He'd been struggling to get any paintings done lately, so I was all excited for him. He acted weird and wouldn't show them to me, so we got in a huge screaming fight about it, and I finally figured out what he'd done."

"That's awful."

"Yeah, I was _pissed_. I know he's been struggling, and it's hard when you have the creative block. But he's a good painter; I still can't figure out why he'd try to pass my work off as his own and how the hell he thought he'd get away with it."

"So, what did you do?"

"Screamed at him for about two hours, told him we were over, and got all of the shit I kept at his apartment and took it home."

"Well, but what about the galleries?"

"Oh, I didn't hesitate to inform them he was submitting my work as his. Once word of this gets out – and believe me, it will – he won't be able to sell his own shit anywhere. _Moron_. The funny thing is they loved the shots he sent in. If I wanted to sell my pieces in Chicago, Philadelphia, and New York, I could."

"Do you want to?"

She shook her head. "No. It's tempting; I'd love the chance to travel, but I really like focusing on the Pacific Northwest. Maybe someday, but for now, I just want to focus on this area and build from there."

I leaned forward and reached for her hand, squeezing it reassuringly. "I'm so sorry, hun. That's so shitty."

"Yeah, me, too." She sighed. "I really thought it was going somewhere, too, you know? He seemed like a nice guy, and I thought maybe we were headed toward moving in together. I just feel like shit, knowing that he was such an asshole, and I had no idea. I am never trusting my taste in men again."

"Aww, I'm sure there are plenty of great guys out there," I reassured her.

"Nope, I'm taking a break from men. Fuck them." She signaled for the waitress and ordered us a couple of cocktails. I winced, knowing how shitty I was going to feel in the morning, so I ordered a couple of waters to go with our drinks.

"So, tell me all about your love life," Alice said, once the waitress was gone. "Any hotties in your bed?"

I sighed. "Not a one. And I have the worst crush on this guy at work, but there's no way it'll ever go anywhere."

Alice's reaction to my crush on Edward was interesting. She was quiet while I told her about him and what had happened recently, but she immediately spoke up when I was done.

"Yeah, that's not a good situation. I get it; he sounds hot as hell, and I totally don't blame you for the crush, but there's no way that could ever end well. Especially if you want to stay at the hospital after you have your degree."

"I know. That's the worst part; I know it's crazy to even consider anything. He obviously doesn't want me enough to make it happen anyway, but I can't stop thinking about him." I groaned and buried my head in my hands for a moment.

"It drives me nuts that he doesn't even care that there's this insane sexual tension between us. And it hurts to know that he can turn off his feelings like that," I muttered.

"I'm sorry, Bella."

"I know."

The waitress brought over our drinks, and the minute she left, I gulped half of mine and grumbled, "Well, fuck him. Fuck Edward _and_ fuck James. Men suck."

"Here, here!" Alice raised her own half-empty glass, and we clanked them together, some of my drink spilling out onto the table. Shit, I was drunk already.

After we finished our drinks, we went to a nearby club to dance. It was the most fun I'd had in ages. We ignored all of the guys hitting on us and danced together instead. On the drunken cab ride to my apartment, we giggled as we decided we were better off without men anyway, and it was just too bad we weren't lesbians. Sadly, the attraction wasn't there, and we were going to have to settle for dealing with men, frustrating as they were, or give them up entirely. At the moment, I was leaning toward the latter.

Alice left on Monday, after a long weekend of drinking, talking, and laughing. I hugged her tightly when she left and made her promise that she'd come visit again soon.

Edward was hardly around that following week, and when he did pass through the office, he was aloof, barely speaking to me at all. When he did speak, he was curt, and I was hurt by the sudden change in his attitude toward me. The week passed slowly, and I focused on schoolwork, trying to get Edward from my mind. It was my final semester of school, and I was eager to be done. I'd started out working at Providence just to make money for tuition, but it had quickly shifted my focus. I still wanted my marketing degree, but now I was hoping I'd be able to get hired at the hospital in their marketing department. I loved working here, and although I was looking forward to beginning a career instead of a just a job, I didn't want to go to another company.

I'd started out as a part-time employee, but about a year ago, they offered me a full-time position in patient registration, and I'd taken it eagerly. It had delayed my graduation date because I could only take a couple of classes a semester. This semester, at least all but one class was online, and that one was in the evenings. Still, I'd be glad to be finished, once and for all.

On Friday night, I wrapped up my work and went to get my lunch bag out of the refrigerator like usual, only to find Edward in the break room.

"Hi," I said, startled by his presence.

"Hi, Bella."

"I was just getting my lunch," I said inanely.

He looked up guiltily from the bowl he had his hand in. "I was stealing someone's York Peppermint Patties."

I laughed. "I put them out for anyone to have; it's fine."

"Thanks." His long fingers snaked out to snag another one. "They're addictive. I think you're a bad influence."

"I try. It doesn't always work though. Some people are pretty good at resisting." I couldn't quite disguise the annoyance in my voice.

He gazed at me levelly. "It's harder than you'd think."

"I guess I got the opposite impression."

"You think it's _easy_ for me to stay away from you?" he said slowly, dropping the pretense that we were talking about anything but our attraction to each other.

"It sure seems like it," I said, my voice sounding a little bitterer than I intended.

"I've been torturing myself over this for so long, Bella. I want you. I can't deny that."

"Then have me," I pleaded.

"I can't." His voice was pained, and the expression on his face was tortured. "I want to, so badly. But there are about a thousand reasons why it's a bad idea. The fact that we both work here and that I'm so much older are just a few of them."

"No one else has to know, Edward. It can be our little secret. You can't tell me you don't want to go against your instincts and kiss me." I stepped forward, pressing my body lightly against his.

He groaned and tugged at his tie in frustration. "I want to... But I'm just not sure this is such a good idea... I mean..."

"Edward. Shut up."

I kissed him, and for a moment, I forgot to think, or breathe, or do any of the things a human normally does to survive. His mouth was amazing. Perfect. Sublime. He tasted like peppermint and chocolate and every delicious thing in the world. His lips were soft but not sloppy against mine. And his tongue… Oh, his tongue. I'd never felt anything like it – licking, twining, stroking. I could probably orgasm from it alone.

He ground against me before lifting me up onto the counter, his hesitation gone. My legs parted, and I didn't care that my skirt rode up over my hips, because his cock was right there between my legs, so hard I could feel it throbbing against me. With only the thin satin from my panties and the equally thin fabric of his suit pants and boxers between us, I could feel everything. Or maybe he wasn't wearing boxers; maybe it was just two layers between us. I moaned at the thought and ground my hips into his. I didn't care. This was a terrible idea, and I didn't fucking care anymore.

I wanted this man. Now. He tried to pull back, but I refused to let him, afraid he'd change his mind. I wound one arm around the back of his neck to pull him close while I reached between us to fumble for his belt buckle. The belt finally came apart, and I managed to get the button loose and the zipper down. His tongue was still stroking mine, but it was a little bit slower, like he was slightly distracted. He tried to pull away again, and I sucked his tongue gently in my mouth, and he shuddered. My hand parted the fabric of his fly, and I felt like singing the hallelujah chorus because he _was_ bare under his pants, and then it was just one layer of fabric between us. My underwear. I really wished I had on a pair of crotch-less panties, or none at all, but I managed to push them to the side and sort of pull his hard, amazingly smooth feeling cock toward me. The tip brushed my pussy lips, and I moaned. My sounds were kind of muffled by his mouth, and he shuddered when I tipped my hips forward to line us up. I guided him inside of me, and he gave a tentative little push like he wanted to be buried in me but wasn't quite sure if it was okay. I really wanted to scream at him and tell him he'd be crazy to think I didn't want that, but it would require me moving my mouth from his, and that just wasn't happening.

He nibbled at my lip a little, and it was so fucking sexy. My hips rocked against his, but at the angle we were at, if he wanted to be inside of me, he'd have to be the one to do it. My hand moved to his hip, and I pulled it toward me just a little to encourage him.

He still hesitated though, and I was afraid he was going to change his mind. I was just about to pull my mouth away long enough to tell him to just fucking _fuck_ me already when he thrust inside of me. My eyes rolled back in my head, and I was pretty sure I looked possessed, but I decided I couldn't care less. The most perfect cock on the planet was inside of me, and there was no way I was going to let it go. For any reason.

He pressed me back against the countertop, his hips beginning a rhythm that made my moans get louder. He muffled my sounds with his mouth, kissing me more deeply. My hands found their way to his hair, burying them in the thick strands and tugging on them as he continued to fuck me.

One of his hands slipped down to hike my hip up higher, and my teeth bit down on his lip as he slid deeper into me. Thankfully, it wasn't hard enough to draw blood, and it only made him thrust harder and faster. I moved against him, completely and utterly intent on my impending orgasm. Just a few thrusts later, I felt the building tension finally spiral out of control, and with one hand buried in his hair and the other gripping the shoulder of his suit jacket, I came hard. For a moment, I saw lights flash behind my closed eyelids, and I panted against his mouth, trying to muffle the sounds of my pleasure.

With just a few more deep, hard thrusts, he came with a muffled grunt against my shoulder, breathing heavily. His fingertips rubbed softly along my thighs, and I felt the warm air from his breath against my neck. He took a moment to collect himself, and then he pulled back a little, a look of remorse immediately washing over his face.

"I am so sorry, Bella. Christ, I shouldn't have done that."

I pulled away from him in shock. "You're sorry for _what_?"

"I attacked you."

I sighed, seeing exactly where this was going. Despite the euphoria from my orgasm, I felt myself crashing back to reality quickly. "Edward, I enjoyed myself."

_Not to mention the fact that I am the one who attacked you,_ I thought.

"But Christ, at work, in the break room? I'm an asshole." He pulled out of me and hastily tucked himself back into his pants and zipped them, glancing around.

"You are now," I muttered and hopped down from the counter and righted my clothing.

"An asshole who is going to get us both fired."

I glanced around, as well, the reality of how reckless I'd been washing over me, twisting my stomach in worried knots. Thankfully, it was dark and quiet, and we were tucked around the corner from the door, so even if someone had walked by, they wouldn't have been able to see us without stepping inside.

"I don't disagree that doing it here wasn't ideal," I said. "Anyone could have walked in. But they didn't. So, don't apologize, don't try to make it into some huge thing. We fucked, and it was amazing."

"But you have a boyfriend." He hung his head, shame written all over his face.

"A what? No, I most certainly don't," I protested.

"What about that big, beefy guy who picked you up for lunch?"

I scoffed. "That was Emmett, my best friend who is married to a gorgeous woman who is pregnant with his first child. We've been friends since we were children."

He gave me a puzzled look. "Then who did you say 'I love you' to on the phone and run off to meet at the bar?"

"Alice, another close friend. Edward, I haven't been in a relationship in a long time, nor have I indulged in anything casual in at least six months. I'm free to do whatever and _whomever_ I please."

"Thank God, I feel so much better about that now." He sighed and attempted to smooth out the wrinkles in his suit and tie.

"You must think very little of me if you think I'd cheat," I said bitterly, straightening my skirt and making sure my shirt was tucked in.

"No, Bella, that's not it at all," he protested, laying a hand on my forearm.

I shrugged. "Well, how else am I supposed to interpret it?"

"I know I'm completely addled by you and not thinking straight. Maybe it was stupid to think you were in the same state."

"Well, I am," I admitted. "Although I'm not sure that extends to me being unfaithful to someone I cared about. I don't think you are that way either."

He sighed. "Lord knows I was fighting against my interest in you the last few months of my marriage to Heidi."

I blinked at him in surprise, but I really had no idea how to respond. When I finally collected my thoughts, I spoke quietly. "Look, right now, I need to get cleaned up; I have come running down my thigh."

He blanched. "Shit, we didn't use a condom."

"I'm on the pill and extremely careful about taking it. And I'm clean. You don't have to worry about that."

"Thank God," he sighed. "I'm good, too. I got tested after Heidi and I ended."

"You're right, though," I admitted. "We should definitely have discussed that."

He nodded and looked at me seriously, his face pensive.

"What happens now?" I asked.

"I don't know," he said awkwardly.

I sighed, knowing I was going to need to give him another push if this was going to go anywhere else. Clearly, he was feeling guilty about our encounter.

"Look, we've established a few things. We're both single, and we're attracted to each other. And I think I'm speaking for both of us when I say I don't want this to be the end of things." He nodded. "Obviously, we need to talk, but this isn't the place to do it. There's just one more thing to figure out right now, Edward. Your place or mine?"

He hesitated a moment and then spoke firmly. "My place. Why don't I meet you at the exit of the ramp? You can follow me to my house."

"All right."

"I drive a black Mercedes."

"I have a silver VW," I informed him.

"Right, I remember it from the time I walked you out to the ramp."

We stood there awkwardly for a moment. He took a deep breath, glanced around quickly to make sure we were still alone, briefly kissed me goodbye, and let me go. I ran into the restroom before I left, cleaning up as best I could.

He was gone by the time I packed up my things, but when I pulled out of the ramp, he was waiting in his car. He gave me a brief nod, and I pulled onto the street behind him. He drove carefully, and it took about twenty-five minutes to get to the outskirts of Portland. He turned on to a quiet, tree-lined street filled with large, old homes. He pulled into the driveway of a massive old brick house, and as the garage door opened, I saw an empty spot beside the one he pulled into. He got out and motioned me forward. I pulled in, parked, and got out of my car.

"Are you sure you want me to park in here?" I asked him, a little surprised by his actions. Then again, maybe he didn't want his neighbors to see me parked in the driveway. I knew he was divorced, but I had no idea where things stood with his ex-wife, Heidi.

"No one else is using it," he assured me, and I nodded and grabbed my purse before following him inside. There was a breezeway between the garage and house which led to an entryway and a laundry room. Edward toed off his shoes and dropped his keys and wallet into a basket by the door.

"Um, do you want me to take off my shoes?" I asked.

He gave me a distracted look and shrugged out of his coat. "Oh, whatever you feel comfortable with. It's just a habit for me."

I took mine off, as well, and looked around awkwardly, not sure of where I should put my coat. He took it from me and hung it in the closet to the right, which was nearly empty. I followed him into a large, open kitchen, and we stared at each other for a moment, unsure of how to begin.

"Are you sure you're okay with what happened?" he finally asked.

"I'm sure, Edward. The location wasn't great, but it was incredibly hot."

His hair stood up wildly, a sharp contrast to how it normally looked. He tugged at his wrinkled tie and loosened it before sighing and relaxing against the counter.

"Look, I don't regret it either. I'm just saying it wasn't the smartest decision either of us have made. For our careers, anyway," he finally said.

"I know."

Truth be told, I wasn't feeling nearly as nonchalant about what would happen at work after this as I was pretending. It was a complicated situation, and I could see no clear way out of it. I'd thrown caution to the wind today and been rewarded with an incredible tryst with Edward on the counter in the break room at work. It was better than all of the fantasies I'd had about him before.

Maybe it was selfish, but I wanted just a little more time with him before reality set in. I had no idea where to go from here, though. I didn't know what he wanted; I wasn't even sure if I knew what _I_ wanted. I just knew that I couldn't walk away yet. If we were going to make this work, whatever it was, we had a long road ahead of us. And there was no guarantee it would work out then. I wanted tonight to be the perfect memory, and if it fell apart in the future, I would still have this.

I stepped forward and laid my hands on his shoulders. "Look, do you have anything planned for tonight?"

"No." He shook his head.

"Then I want you to do two things for me."

"Okay," he said cautiously.

"Forget about the conversation we need to have about what happens after tonight. We'll talk later, but I don't want to talk about it now."

He hesitated but nodded his agreement. "What was the second thing?"

"Take me up to your bed, and fuck me like you've imagined."

He took a deep breath, and I thought for a moment that he wasn't going to agree, but with his eyes locked on mine, he un-knotted his tie and flung it onto the countertop and unbuttoned the top button of his shirt. He took my hand, and without another word, he led me through the house, up the stairs, and into his bedroom.

* * *

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	3. Chapter 3 - The Bedroom

**Notes:** Huge thanks to Alice's White Rabbit for beta-ing, and LisaDawn75 for validating this. I deeply appreciate their help!

I apologize for the delay in posting. I'm still trying to work out a schedule for validating and posting. Hopefully once I do, the chapters will come out a bit faster. Thanks.

For those of you who read the one-shot, almost all of this is brand new content!

* * *

**Chapter 3: The Bedroom**

I was too focused on Edward's hand in mine, and the thought of where we were headed, to pay a lot of attention to his house, but I did glance around as I followed him to his bedroom. It was large, easily several times bigger than the modest home I'd grown up in, and had beautiful old architectural details. There were hardwood floors and large windows, but the whole place felt a bit empty and under-furnished. I vaguely wondered if he had just moved in, and why on earth he had such a big place if he lived alone.

The bedroom was as sparsely furnished as the rest of the house, but there was a massive bed, and it was all I could focus on. My heart hammered in my chest at the thought of him inside of me again.

Edward closed the bedroom door behind us and stood in front of me. Tension still furrowed his brow, but he didn't hesitate to close his hands over my hips and pull me close to him. My hands automatically came up to rest against his chest and he closed his eyes for a moment and leaned his forehead against mine. I could feel his warm, still peppermint-scented breath, against my lips. He spoke quietly. "I don't know why on earth you want me, but by God, I'm going to take advantage of having you here tonight."

I opened my mouth to argue with him, but he pressed his lips softly to mine. I shivered as his hands tightened on my hips and he pulled me closer to him, so our lower bodies were pressed tightly together. His voice was rough sounding. "I have wanted you for so long, Bella."

"I've wanted you, too." My voice was breathier, needy.

One of my hands moved up and over his shoulder, to tangle in his hair as his lips brushed over mine again; slowly, sweetly. It was a marked change from the frantic kisses we'd shared earlier. This was deep and thorough. I had been in charge before, so afraid that Edward would bolt if I gave him a moment to think twice. This time he was much less hesitant. He cradled the back of my head in his palm and tilted our heads so he could deepen the kiss even further. His other hand pressed between my shoulder blades, holding me tightly against him. We kissed for a long time before he moved any further. As eager as I'd been before, I was content to take it slow now; to learn the feel of his mouth and tongue against my own, to discover that he made a low, throaty groan when my teeth nibbled at his lower lip.

Everything about his touch now was slow and deliberate, like he was planning his every move. I wondered if it was just him, or if he was nervous. I wondered how long it had been since he'd slept with his ex-wife, and if there had been anyone in between. And then I wondered why on earth I was even thinking about that when the man I'd been lusting after for years was kissing me. I shoved the thoughts aside and sank into the kiss.

He let out a startled gasp when my fingers tightened in his hair, but he quickly reciprocated by sliding a hand down to cup my ass. I could feel his hardening cock against my stomach and I pushed against him. He pulled his head back to look at me, but didn't separate our lower bodies. His eyes were so green and his lips were damp and parted. It seemed incredible that I had been the one to cause the needy, hungry look on his face. I stared at him for a long moment, absolutely in awe of the fact that it was Edward I pressed so tightly to. The one that I'd been desperately wanting for so long. It almost seemed surreal. Like a dream, or a shockingly real fantasy that I'd gotten lost in.

But it was really happening; he was really here in front of me. I could touch him any way I wanted; ask him to do anything and everything I'd ever imagined him doing to me. The hand that had been on my back moved up to cup my face. His expression was surprisingly tender, despite the desperation in his eyes.

"I have never wanted anyone like this, Bella," he said roughly. "Never."

"Me either," I admitted.

"Fuck, I don't even know where to start," he said ruefully. "I've imagined so many things, so many positions and ways I could touch you. Now that I have you right here, I don't know which of them I want most."

I smiled, understanding exactly how he felt. The pent up tension has dissipated after our frantic coupling in the break room, and now we were both left floundering.

"Well," I said quietly. "What's the one fantasy you had the most? The one that always made you come the hardest. Tell me that."

He swallowed hard and wet his lips. "I … I imagined you …"

I brushed my lips lightly against his jaw. "Tell me. Let me make it come true for you."

"I've imagined your mouth on me, sucking me off." He closed his eyes, but not before I saw the hopeful, almost ashamed, look on his face.

I sealed my lips to his for a brief, heated kiss, and then pulled away to drop to my knees. I tugged my skirt up a little higher to make it easier to kneel and his eyes flew open as my hands touched his thighs. "You don't have to, Bella," he whispered.

"I know I don't have to, Edward." I traced my fingers across the front of his pants. He was so hard and I took a moment to trace the outline of his cock. He stared down at me, his look still hungry and eager. It was the embarrassed apprehension in his gaze that made me pause to reassure him. "I want to do this. I've imagined it, too."

"You have?" he asked roughly, and I nodded.

"Mmmhmm."

His hand came down and he gently traced his hand along my jaw with his thumb. I looked up at him as I slowly unbuttoned his pants. The quiet rasp of the zipper seemed excruciatingly loud in the quiet room. I left his pants on and gently reached inside to pull him out. "I have to say, I'm surprised by the lack of underwear."

He reached up and nervously rubbed at the side of his jaw. "Uhh, well, I forgot to put the load of laundry with them in the dryer the other night. Not a very comfortable experience when I'm around you."

I leaned forward and breathed hotly on his cock, watching it twitch in response. "Why is that?"

He chuckled. "Because, it's impossible for me not to get aroused when I'm near you. When I so much as even _think_ about you."

I licked my lips teasingly and watched his eyes follow my tongue. His earlier discomfort was gone and I didn't hesitate to lean even closer; close enough to trail my tongue along the underside of his shaft. My hand wrapped around his cock and I heard him let out a strangled groan as I repeated the motion with my tongue.

I backed off long enough to say, "I am always so wet when I see you, when I hear you say hello to me every morning," before sliding my mouth down over him.

He shuddered and I saw his hands clench into tight fists on either side of his thighs as I moved my mouth over him. His breathing so was rough and ragged in the quiet room and I loved the way he looked down at me, like I was the most amazing and incredible thing he'd ever seen. It made me even more eager to make him come, to see him lose all control. I sucked and licked his cock; desperate to give him pleasure.

He made no move to touch me and I gently grabbed his hand and coaxed his fist into loosening. When I guided his hand to my head he tentatively tangled his fingers in my hair. His voice was hoarse when he spoke my name. "Bella … I …"

His words trailed off and he didn't continue, but he did gently guide me a little bit as I tightened my grip on him. I swirled my tongue around the head of his cock and he shuddered. "Damn it, Bella, I'm going to come soon," he gasped.

I slowly released him from my mouth, pressing a soft kiss to the tip before I spoke. "I want you to come in my mouth, Edward. I want to taste you."

"Christ." He let out a strangled breath, his eyes clenching tightly shut. His fingers gripped my hair a little harder and when I engulfed him again I could feel the tremble in the muscles of his thighs against my left palm.

A handful of quick, firm strokes later, Edward pulsed in my mouth, an agonized groan leaving his lips. I swallowed and slowly released him from my mouth, sliding up his body to press a kiss to his jaw. One arm gripped my hip, the other went to the base of my skull and he pressed our foreheads together.

His eyes held a curious mix of gratitude and relief when he pulled away, but the shame was creeping back.

"Was that as good as the times you fantasized about it?" I whispered and stood up, pressing my body lightly against his.

"Much better. I can't even believe how incredible that felt. You have no idea how long it's been …"

I wasn't really sure if I wanted to hear about his sex life with Heidi, so I brushed my lips over his to distract him. I reached up and slipped my hands under his jacket, sliding it off of him. He willingly helped me remove it, tossing it onto the foot of the bed. I slowly unbuttoned his shirt, peeling the crisp, white fabric back as I undid each one. He had some chest hair, but not a lot; it was the same dark reddish-brown as the majority of the hair on his head. Up close, I was more aware of the wrinkles at the corners of his eyes and the silver strands at his temples. I felt guilty at the fleeting thought of how glad I was that his chest hair hadn't started to turn grey yet. I found Edward incredibly sexy, but I wasn't sure how I'd feel about him going grey _everywhere_.

I pressed my lip to the hollow at the base of his throat, and continued to divest him of his clothing. He seemed almost self-conscious as I peeled the clothes from him and I knew he was going to need another little nudge to let go of whatever it was that was worrying him and holding him back.

"I thought you were going to fuck me, Edward. I'm still so wet; so ready for you to be inside of me again," I whispered seductively.

He pulled back, his green eyes glittering with desire and he slowly shook his head at me. "You are going to be the end of me, Bella. How can I ever hope to keep up with you?"

I grinned at him and pushed his suit pants down to the floor. "I think you'll do just fine. You just need to stop worrying. Believe me, I'm not trying to dismiss everything we have to worry about, I just want tonight. I just want to know what it's like to spend a whole night in bed with you, to touch you in all of the ways I've been dreaming about."

He smiled and stroked my cheek with his thumb. "How can I resist you when you say things like that?"

"Hopefully, you won't be able to." I ran my fingertips down his chest and to his waist. "Please, Edward."

He nodded and gave me a slightly sheepish, crooked grin before he spoke. "Bella, I need you to get naked, because I feel ridiculous with nothing on but my pants around my ankles when you're fully dressed."

I grinned back and reached for the hem of my cobalt blue v-neck sweater, pulling it off of me and tossing it beside his suit. He sat down at the foot of the bed and pushed off his socks and pants. I stepped closer but he shook his head. "I want to watch."

His eyes flicked up to mine like he was afraid I was going to refuse. When I didn't, his eyes grew eager, watching as I reached behind to unzip my black pencil skirt. It dropped to the floor and I felt a shiver of anticipation race through my body at the way his eyes raked over me. We were both silent as I slowly unhooked my black bra and let it fall, and then peeled off my matching lacy panties, still damp from earlier.

I swallowed hard at the look in his eyes when I stood up. Edward was a handsome, successful, powerful man, and yet he was looking at me like he had never seen anything more beautiful or desirable. I wasn't self-conscious standing in front of him, just eager for him to touch me; unbearably aroused at the idea of what would happen next.

I held my breath as his reached up and trailed his fingers across my belly and over my hip.

"You're so beautiful," he whispered. "Come here, let me touch you."

His hands were gentle as he caressed me, but not hesitant, and when they closed over my nipples, I gasped. I went weak in the knees and I reached out and steadied myself on his shoulder. The tips of his fingers traced around the nipple and he watched it tighten. He wet his lips and leaned forward, his warm breath touching them before his skin made contact. His mouth was even warmer when it closed around the sensitive peak and I shuddered and buried my hand in his thick hair.

"Oh, Edward," I gasped. He sucked lightly, alternating that with swirling his tongue, and when his teeth gently closed in on it, my knees buckled. He caught me and helped lower me to the bed, moving to lie beside me.

All tentativeness was gone as his mouth moved to my other breast and his hands roamed my skin eagerly. I clutched at him, my fingers sliding through his soft, short hair. His mouth moved up my body until his lips captured mine again. His hands gripped my hips and pulled me tightly against him. He was an incredible kisser and I couldn't get enough of the way his tongue moved against mine.

His touch made my head swim and I groaned quietly. Eventually, he tore his mouth away from mine and moved down my body, planting wet kisses all the way down to my pussy. I held my breath in anticipation as he hovered over me and gently pushed my thighs apart. I exhaled forcefully when his mouth touched my pussy; I was desperate for him.

Despite all of his hesitation earlier, he seemed downright eager to taste me. He firmly licked my outer lips before parting them with his thumbs. On my clit, he repeated the swirling, sucking motion he'd used on my nipple and I threw my head back and gasped. "Oh, fuck, Edward …"

Two of his fingers slid into me and I grabbed frantically for the covers, feeling like I'd fly apart without something to ground me. He tore his mouth away from me and I whimpered, but he kissed my thigh and spoke. "You have no idea how many nights I dreamed about tasting you like this, about making you call out my name."

I shivered at the sound of his voice and at his words and I whimpered. "Please, please, Edward …"

His mouth returned to my body and I could hear the panting, gasping noises I made as he devoured me. I felt desperate and out of control as one hand moved to his head to push him deeper against me. His tongue lapped against my clit unrelentingly and I cried out, the pleasure washing over me, sending my mind whirling and tumbling, all coherent thought gone.

When the world stopped spinning, I was surprised to realize I was shaking. When I was finally able to focus, I saw his puzzled expression peering up at me from where he was lying between my thighs.

"Hey, what's wrong?" he asked, shifting to the side and sliding up the bed to cradle me in his arms. His expression was so soft and concerned. I reached for him, needing the reassurance of his arms around me. It somehow all seemed impossible again that I was here in the bed of the man I'd wanted for so long.

"I … I don't know. I think it's just too much."

He frowned. "What is?"

"I don't know. Just … _everything_. What happened today at work and being here. I just got overwhelmed."

He gently tucked my hair behind my ear and ran his thumb along my jaw. "You aren't regretting things, are you?"

I pushed myself closer to him, sliding my knee between his thighs. "No, of course not. God, I want this, I want you. You were so incredible, I don't think I've ever come like that," I admitted.

His smile was full of pride. "Really?"

"You have no idea. Edward, that … _you _… were amazing. So amazing. I am just completely stunned."

"I am, too," he said seriously. "Bella, I know I keep saying this, but I have wanted you for so long, and I can't begin to tell you how it feels to have you here. To know that you want me as much as I want you."

"You don't need to tell me." I kissed him softly. "I understand completely."

Kisses turned into heated caresses again and it wasn't long before I could feel his cock hardening against my thigh.

"Please, Edward," I pleaded again. "Please, I want to feel you inside me."

He groaned and rolled me all the way onto my back, positioning himself between my thighs. His eyes never left mine as he pushed into me and I gasped and clutched at his shoulder. I loved the way his jaw tightened and his lips parted when he was fully inside me. His skin was smooth and hot under my hands as we began to move together. This was better than in the break room. Now I could feel every inch of his bare skin against mine, stare into his eyes and make as much noise as I wanted. I could be free to give in to the feelings I had and truly let go.

Our bodies moved easily together, finding a steady rhythm that set my blood on fire. He slid easily in and out of my wetness, his cock filling me perfectly. His lips caressed my neck, his breath hot and eager against my skin.

"You feel so good," he said, his voice strained and desperate. "Better than I ever imagined."

"I know," I gasped.

His palms were planted on the bed beside my shoulders and I ran my hand up along the corded muscles of his arms. With a groan, he lowered himself down onto me and rolled us over, his hand cupping my ass to keep us pressed tightly together.

"I want to see you on top," he begged. I sat up and began to move, eager to fulfill any fantasy Edward had ever had. I wanted to please him, wanted him to be so satisfied he'd never think about me without getting hard. I caressed the nicely defined muscles of his abdomen and chest as I rocked over him.

"Perfect," he whispered, his eyes fluttering closed.

His hands moved up my thighs, his thumbs facing inward until they met in the middle. I gasped when they brushed over my clit and I ground down against him.

"Edward, God … I'm so close."

His thumbs rubbed soft circles over the sensitive bundle of nerves and I cried out and gripped his forearm. Pleasure washed over me, building and building until I was shaking on top of him. The rush from the orgasm made my head swim. I shuddered, my body wracked with pleasure, and when I collapsed on top of him, he rolled us over again, driving into my body with a fierce, desperate hunger that made my body clench around him again. I was so sensitive from the earlier orgasms; my body began to react again as the hard, wet slide of his cock delving in to me stimulated every nerve ending in my body. Just as he braced himself and gave a final, deep push into me, the building pressure in me peaked, tensing every muscle in my body. I cried out and so did he; his low, rough shout mixing with my higher, breathier gasp.

I struggled to keep my eyes open, wanting to see Edward come. His firm jaw was clenched, his eyes screwed tightly shut; his furrowed brow and flared nostrils all indicating a man completely overwhelmed by his pleasure. His hips were still against mine now, his cock pressed as deeply inside of me as it could go. I felt every surge of his cock inside me, could see the deep, heaving breaths he took and hear the desperate sounds he made. The waves of pleasure moving through my body were incredible, but the sight and feel of him coming inside of me nearly eclipsed that.

After, I lay there panting as Edward fell onto the bed beside me. My heart was racing and I was sweaty and disheveled. The man was nearly twenty years older than me, and yet he had the energy and stamina of a seventeen-year-old; an extraordinarily talented seventeen-year-old. I sighed and stretched, feeling the ache between my legs and the tightness in my thighs and hips. Edward sat up on his elbow, turning to the side and resting his arm on my stomach. My eyelids fluttered closed for a moment and I sighed in contentment.

"What are you thinking?" he asked.

"Really? You're asking me this now?" I asked in disbelief. "I can barely string two words together at the moment."

"So, it was good?" he asked, looking suddenly vulnerable.

"Jesus, Edward, it was off the charts good. I've never had better."

His small smile turned smug. "Really?"

"Really. You have a hot, younger woman in your bed who you've just thoroughly satisfied. Why aren't you just enjoying this?"

"Because I have a hot, younger woman in my bed, and I don't understand what you are doing with someone like me."

I raised an eyebrow at him. "Having some incredibly hot sex. Do you mind?"

He sighed and traced his finger down the valley between my breasts. "I'm serious; just indulge me here for a moment."

"Okay. You really don't understand what I see you?"

"No."

"Edward, you're a brilliant, hard-working, devastatingly handsome man who just reduced me to a useless blob of jelly with your cock."

"The age thing doesn't bother you?"

I shrugged. "It made me wonder if I was too young for you to notice, but beyond that. No. I find you attractive, that's all there is to it."

He smiled and brushed his lips across my mine. "Believe me, I noticed you. Even when I knew I shouldn't."

**~BtBR~**

In the morning, I woke up with Edward's arm draped over my waist. I carefully rolled over and watched him sleep for a few minutes. His face was relaxed and there was a light smattering of stubble on his cheeks. I'd never seen him anything but clean-shaven before. I gently ran my fingertips across it, liking the way it tickled my fingertips.

His eyes fluttered open, his expression puzzled until his eyes locked on mine. "I didn't dream it then," he said, his voice rough and hoarse from sleep.

"Dream what?" I asked.

"You being here." The corners of his mouth turned up in a smile. "I'm glad."

"Yeah, me, too."

We spent the rest of the weekend in his bed, only getting up long enough to shower and eat throughout the day. He'd loaned me a toothbrush and I wore a white button-down shirt of his when we ventured downstairs to get food. He seemed to like me in it, and he spent half of the time we were supposed to be eating with his hand under the hem of the shirt, caressing my bare thighs.

I felt drunk on him, and he seemed equally besotted, spending hours just kissing every inch of my body, which I was more than happy to let him do. I returned the favor and I'd never felt more powerful or beautiful than I did when he begged me to let him come as I sucked his cock.

We didn't talk about the future or the fact that what we did could have ruined our careers. Instead, we spent the time getting to know each other's body. I was afraid if we acknowledged all of the reasons that we shouldn't be together, it would burst the perfect little bubble of happiness we were in. Edward was every bit as desperate for me as I was for him and I wanted to take advantage of that. It was everything I had hoped for, and more.

_He_ was everything I had hoped for, and more.

I lost track of the positions we used and all the ways we brought each other to orgasm. I did my best to ignore the ticking clock that told me our weekend was winding down. I dreaded the thought of Monday morning and what it would be like when we had to go back to our real lives. I wanted to hold onto what we had now, but I could feel it slipping away with every minute that passed.

Saturday night we hardly slept, touching and tasting each other until the early hours of the morning. Edward's stubble was heavy and rough against my inner thighs and I was horse from crying out in pleasure. I was sore from the sex, but I couldn't stop. Neither of us could. I was addicted to the way he felt inside me and the sweet, aching slide of his cock pushing into me.

The sky was just beginning to lighten when Edward finally collapsed onto me and groaned.

"I don't think I'm going to survive this weekend," he said hoarsely. "I'm too old for this."

I laughed and pulled his sweaty body closer to mine. "Don't be ridiculous. You're incredible."

He kissed the top of my head. "So are you."

"You aren't sorry I pushed you?"

"When? On Friday? No, Bella, I'm not sorry at all. It's been a long time since I've felt this good."

I smiled and tucked myself against his chest. We both drifted off to sleep and slept for hours.

**~BtBR~**

On Sunday afternoon, we ventured into the kitchen to eat leftovers and he had me pinned against the counter as they heated in the microwave. I was wearing his shirt and a massive hickey on my neck when the side door opened. Edward's head whipped up in shock and we were both staring at the door when she walked in.

She was young, no more than seventeen or so. She had a head full of messy copper curls, Edward's green eyes, and she looked pissed.

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**Notes:** What do you think of their weekend together? Do you like that I expanded on what I had in the one-shot? And are you absolutely dying to see what happens in the next chapter? ;)


	4. Chapter 4 - The Kitchen

**Notes:** I have to be the luckiest girl in the world. I have a fabulous beta, Alice's White Rabbit, and Validation beta, LisaDawn75. In addition, three lovely ladies have joined this story as pre-readers, Mandi Nikko, Deb Arrington, and Sandy from Southern Fiction Review. This story wouldn't be nearly as good without their help!

I'm doing my best to get a bit ahead of things so I can post as often as possible. No set posting schedule, I'm just getting the chapters out as fast as I can.

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**Chapter Four: The Kitchen**

"So that's what you do when I'm at mom's house? Pick up random chicks? Nice, Dad," she said scornfully. I shrank back against the countertop, trying to move away from Edward, but he didn't let go, his hand stayed firmly on my hip.

The girl's disdainful remark rapidly diminished my euphoria. I glanced down at Edward's left hand, but it was bare of a wedding ring. I _knew _he was divorced, but the response was automatic. His eyes followed mine and he tightened his grip on me and spoke quietly. "This is my daughter. I'm sorry … I was going to tell you …"

I could feel my heart hammering in my chest and my stomach twisted up in knots. I didn't move, or breathe. Edward gave me a concerned look, but turned to the girl in the doorway. His voice was strained, but even.

"Maggie, my sex life is really none of your business to comment on. You need to be more civil, that was incredibly rude." The girl sneered and rolled her eyes. He sighed, but his voice softened a little. "Why are you home so early? I thought you were staying until after dinner."

"Mom had to go to some lame-ass meeting tonight. I called you like four times, but you didn't answer."

He nodded, but frowned. "Please watch your language."

She rolled her eyes again and stood there glaring at me, her arms crossed over her chest. The frown marred her pretty features and I shrank back at the venomous glare in her eyes.

Edward turned to look at me. "I'm sorry, I haven't introduced you yet. This is my daughter, Maggie." He put a hand on my lower back. "And Maggie, this is…" His voice trailed off as she whirled around, stomped down the hall and up the stairs, slamming a door behind her.

"… Bella," he finished faintly.

He rubbed his hand over his face and sighed, scrambling to come up with a response. "I am so sorry." He turned to look at me and I was struck by how exhausted he looked. "Christ, Bella, I should have told you …"

I sighed, finally shaken from my stupor. "It would have been nice to have had some warning, but it isn't like we spent that much time talking this weekend."

The worried look in his eyes dissipated a little as the corner of his mouth lifted into a little smirk. "I suppose not."

"I'll just get my stuff together and head out," I said, needing to get out of there. I felt horribly uncomfortable that I was dressed in nothing but Edward's shirt, and dismayed that his daughter had seen us like that.

_Jesus, I'd met his daughter without any underwear on_.

"No, please don't," he pleaded with me, a worried frown marring his forehead. "I'd really like to talk to you now, at least give you a little information about my life. Please," he pleaded with me. "I know we hardly know each other, but it's not because I'm trying to keep secrets."

"Are you sure I should stay?" I asked doubtfully. "Maybe right now isn't the best time …"

"Maggie will lock herself in her room to sulk for a few more hours. When she's pissed, she only ventures out to eat. We can talk, and then I'll sit down with her later."

"If you're sure …" I agreed reluctantly. I really didn't want to stay; in fact, my instinct was to run as fast and as far as possible. Our perfect, happy bubble had burst. More than burst—it exploded and I had no idea what to do next. I knew it wasn't fair of me to disappear on Edward like that. He was right, we needed to talk. Running away from the situation wasn't going to solve anything, as tempting as it was.

"Please, Bella. I'd really like to at least clear a few things up for you. I'm sure you have a thousand questions."

"Yeah, I do," I admitted. A thousand seemed like it would barely cover it. He gently placed a hand on my lower back and coaxed me forward.

"Let's go back up to my room, shower and dress, and then we can talk."

"Okay," I agreed apprehensively.

There was door rattling music playing from Maggie's room as we passed by it, and I winced.

_Christ, I am dating a guy with a teenager. How the hell had that happened? _

Oh, right. I'd seduced the Vice President of my department, fucked him in the break room at work, and then gone home with him. All without discussing what it meant, where we were going with it, or a single detail about how we planned to cope with it. I kind of wanted to beat my head against the wall. What had I been_ thinking?_

It occurred to me that although I definitely was fucking Edward, we weren't necessarily dating. At least, we hadn't discussed the topic so I didn't know where we stood. Fuck, this was a mess. My nausea grew at the thought of the things we had to face.

Blindly, I followed him into his bedroom, too overwhelmed to even think straight. Once inside, Edward locked the door and tried to tug me into the bathroom. I hesitated before following him.

"Um, should we maybe shower separately or something?" I asked, really uncomfortable at the idea of showering together with his daughter—_Maggie_, I reminded myself—is in the house.

He shook his head. "I'd rather shower together. Please, Bella. I know this is uncomfortable for you, but I'd really like it if you'd shower in here with me."

Still feeling apprehensive, I followed him into the bathroom. Once we were in the shower under the warm water, he pulled me into his arms and looked in my eyes. "You're freaking out."

I sighed. "A little bit, yeah."

His voice was soft and earnest. "I can't tell you how sorry I am that you had to deal with that. It's not at all the way I wanted that to happen."

"I appreciate that," I said honestly.

"I really had planned to tell you more about my life today or, at the very least, sometime this week. I wasn't trying to hide anything. Do you believe me?"

I stared into his eyes and reached up to touch his cheek, reassured by the concern there. "Yeah, I do."

"Good." He exhaled loudly. "Okay, let's finish showering and dress and we'll talk more. I'll tell you anything you want to know."

I nodded and he wrapped an arm around my shoulder, kissing the top of my head when I sagged against him. The jolt of adrenaline that had coursed through me when Maggie arrived had dissipated and I was feeling sick and exhausted.

We'd showered together several times that weekend, but this time it was more functional than sensual. Still, the feel of his body against mine and the occasional kiss he leaned down to give me did help me relax.

After the shower, I towel-dried my hair and dressed in the clothes I'd worn on Friday, forgoing panties. I tucked the pair I'd worn then into my purse; it was too late to wash them now. Edward dressed in slacks and a blue button down with his sleeves rolled up. I smiled at the sight, wondering if the man actually owned any jeans, or if he was always so well dressed.

Securing my hair with an elastic band, I tucked it up into a messy bun. It didn't look great, and my pale cheeks and bare face made me look younger than I actually was. I caught a glimpse of Edward in the mirror and realized how stark the age contrast between us was now. How plain and rumpled I looked beside him. His eyes met mine in the mirror and he gently put his hand on my arm to turn me to face him.

"Don't. I can see what you're thinking, but you're beautiful." He took me into his arms and kissed me softly. "And if we were still alone, I'd have you in that bed again."

I shuddered at his words and rested my forehead against his. "Maybe it's just as well. I ache."

"I didn't hurt you, did I?" he asked, pulling away with a worried look.

I smoothed away the frown on his forehead. "No, it's just been … a while since I've been that active."

He smirked at me, pride replacing the worry. "Me, too."

He kissed me quickly on the lips and then took my hand. "Come on, let's have lunch and talk."

We went back down to the kitchen, tossing the leftovers that had been sitting in the microwave for at least an hour. Instead, we threw together sandwiches and he pulled out pretzels and lemonade and we took a seat at the kitchen table. But instead of beginning to eat, he pushed the plate away and took my hand.

"I want to be completely honest with you, Bella. I'm very interested in you and I'd like to get to know you better. But, I obviously have some baggage here, a lot of baggage actually. A teenage daughter isn't the easiest thing in the world to deal with. I'd like to see you more, but I understand if you aren't up for it."

I nodded. "Yeah, I'm not entirely sure how I feel about it to be honest," I said. "This weekend was incredible, but I never envisioned something like this … especially on top of everything else we have to deal with."

"I know." He ran his hand through his hair, the frustration on his face evident.

I sighed. "Can you tell me a little bit more? I mean, you are officially divorced, right?"

He nodded his head. "Heidi and I have been divorced for six months and separated for almost two years."

"Did you love her?"

He sighed. "Yes, but it's complicated."

"Well, tell me what you can."

He sighed and sat back in his chair, and I wrapped my arms around my mid-section, bracing myself for what was to come. "We met in college. I was in love with her from the very beginning, but she wasn't really ready to settle down. We dated for a while, and one night the condom broke ..." He sighed. "It was a mess. She was pissed at me, I was in love with her, and all of a sudden we had a baby on the way. We got married and we fought a lot, but once Maggie was born …"

He smiled, remembering. "I was so happy. I was too fucking young, but I loved her. Heidi and I managed to do an okay job parenting her the best we could. We made it through undergrad, thanks to her parents and mine. Both of us took classes part-time and, for a while, we were really doing well. Things got kind of rocky when it came to grad school. I wanted to stay at UP to get my business degree, and she wanted to go to Northwestern in Chicago. Maggie was three at the time, and I didn't like the idea of us moving away from our parents. I didn't know how we could manage without them. So she suggested that she go, and I stay at home with Maggie."

I looked up at him in surprise. "That's unusual."

"Well, to be honest, Heidi never really wanted children. I thought maybe it would be good. The time apart might make us appreciate each other more. So I agreed. My parents paid to fly us out there as often as possible, so Heidi and Maggie could be together."

"That was nice of them."

"They're great. They took such good care of Maggie while I was in class."

He sighed and looked down. "The weekend of our anniversary I flew out to surprise her and caught her in bed with another guy. It was bad. We nearly got a divorce then, but she eventually convinced me she was sorry and she wanted to try again. It was almost near the end of her degree, so a few months later she moved back to Portland with Maggie and I, and we had three or four really good years. We both got jobs here at Providence and advanced pretty quickly. We were doing okay financially. I mean, we weren't well-off, but we got by at first and then slowly started to do better.

"When we focused on our careers and Maggie, we did fine. But our personal life was a mess. We rarely spent any time together, just the two of us, and sex was more of an obligation than a desire. And after a while it stopped all together. We were more like two strangers living together. When I found out a couple of years ago that she was cheating on me with Felix, I told her I couldn't keep up the façade. I refused to live like that anymore and it wasn't doing Maggie any good; Heidi and I were miserable and she knew that. So, we separated but Heidi dragged the divorce out endlessly."

"Did you date at all while you were separated?"

"I went on a few dates, but it didn't work out."

"May I ask why?"

"Maggie," he said honestly. "They weren't willing to deal with a crabby, teenage girl."

I laughed and he shook his head. "You think I'm kidding. She's been a pest for the last few years. But we're working on it. She's a good kid. Gets good grades, has great friends, doesn't get in major trouble. But she wants to be an adult so bad. She tests every boundary; pushes every one of my buttons."

"What's the custody agreement like?" I asked. It was easier if I focused on concrete questions instead of letting the panic take over. I pushed away the thought that his daughter was only six years younger than I was. _Six years_. We could have been sisters. I shuddered at the thought.

"During the school year she lives with me Monday through Friday and spends Saturday and Sunday with Heidi. The reverse is true during the summer. Normally she gets back late on Sundays. Believe me, I was as surprised to see her as you were."

I laughed, but it sounded hollow. No, there was no way Edward had been as shocked as I was. "I didn't even know you had a daughter. No one at work has ever mentioned her."

He shrugged. "I don't think either Heidi or I talk about her a lot at work. But I think that's true of a lot of us. Would you be able to list all of the execs who have kids?"

"No, I guess not," I admitted.

He nodded. "Right now, school just started and she's living with me during the week. Normally she and Heidi have a late dinner and then she heads back here."

"Okay." I sat back and sighed, closing my eyes for just a minute. Jesus, it was all so complicated. This was nothing I had ever expected to have to deal with.

"You're feeling overwhelmed, aren't you?" he asked, frowning at me.

I sighed. "Yeah. Do you think I could take a few days to think all this through?"

"Of course. I know it's a lot to take in." He rubbed my upper arm reassuringly, but his frown didn't go away.

We finished our lunch in silence while I mulled things over. I _was_ feeling overwhelmed to be honest. I liked Edward. Maybe more than I should since we hardly knew each other, but I felt like I needed some space to clear my mind.

When we were done, I helped him wash up the few dishes and clean up the kitchen. Neither of us spoke much, except for quiet 'excuse me's' and 'where do the plates go?'.

After the kitchen was tidy, I looked over at him. "I think I'm going to head home now, okay?"

He nodded, looking disappointed. He helped me gather my things and walked me out to my car. A small, older car that I assumed belonged to Maggie was parked in the driveway, but thankfully it wasn't blocking my exit. He kissed me goodbye and it wasn't the quick peck I expected, but a long, slow, deep kiss that made my pussy throb and my nipples harden.

"That wasn't fair," I said breathlessly, all thoughts of Maggie and the mess Edward and I were in completely gone from my head, at least for a moment. He only smirked and gave me a final peck before I got in the car and drove home.

The minute I reached my apartment, I changed into comfy clothes and called Alice. I told her the entire story and she didn't once interrupt, which was nothing short of a minor miracle. Alice was the chattiest person I knew.

When I finished she was silent for a moment.

"Wow," she said finally, sounding completely shocked. "Jesus, Bella. At work? In the break room? What the fuck were you thinking? You guys could lose your jobs."

"I know." I wiped away a tear that was trickling down my cheek. Away from Edward, reality had crashed over me. Hard. Maggie was just a part of what we had to contend with. The repercussions of our actions on Friday could be severe. "I just … God, Alice, I've never been with someone like him."

Her voice softened. "I know, sweetie, but you don't really think this is going to work out, do you?"

"I don't know," I replied shakily. "But I like him, Alice. I like him a lot."

"When you told me about him before I thought maybe, at the most, you'd have a one night stand and move on. I never expected this. A whole weekend together? And you're talking about more? You've lost your mind, Bella."

"Believe me, I know. I didn't expect it either."

"And a daughter? Damn." I could almost see Alice shaking her head in shock.

"I am just so terrified," I said. "I mean, she's _sixteen_, Alice. That's only six years younger than me. I remember being sixteen just a little too well."

"Is it the girl that worries you the most?"

"Fuck, it's the whole situation. It's been a while since I've had a relationship."

"Do you know that he wants one?" she asked gently.

"No. Actually, he never said anything about that." I groaned. "I mean, not for sure. Maybe I'm making a bigger deal out of this than I need to. I don't really know what Edward wants."

"What did he say exactly?"

"That he was very interested, and wanted to get to know me better."

"Hmm, yeah, that doesn't really tell me anything. Well, maybe you should see exactly what he has in mind and you can go from there. Would his answer change your opinion?"

"Yeah," I admitted. "I think so. I mean, I don't think I could do a long-term, casual relationship. It's too likely to get messy and turn into a huge gossip-fest at work if it was just a fling. And honestly, after this weekend … I think it's more than just fucking, you know?"

She hummed non-committedly and I continued.

"But, do I want a relationship? I don't know that I'm ready for that. I mean, we have the age thing to deal with and the fact that we work together. He's my boss, and throw in a bitchy teenage daughter? It's a lot, Alice …" I sighed, completely unsure of how to proceed.

"Well, talk to him about it this week and if you decide you do want to call it off, you can always get one last good, hard screw."

"Don't even say that, Alice," I admonished her. "The thought of not being in his bed again is tragic. No matter how hesitant he was initially, once I made the first move and got things going, he was amazing. I've never been fucked like that before."

What I didn't tell her was that it was more than just the stellar performance in bed. There was a_ lot more._ I liked Edward—cared about him—but I just wasn't sure if it was enough. Was I really prepared to face all of those obstacles in order to be with him?

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**Notes:** Thanks for all of your lovely reviews! I've been enjoying them so much.

What did you think about Maggie and the fact that Edward hadn't told Bella about her? What about Bella's reaction to things?


	5. Chapter 5 - Edward's Office

**Notes: Big thank you to the incredible team of ladies who are working on this story; my pre-readers: Mandi Nikko, Deb Arrington, and Sandy from Southern Fiction Review: my beta, Alice's White Rabbit: Validation beta, LisaDawn75. Couldn't do this without them.**

**Thank you for all of the lovely reviews! I appreciate every one. :)**

**It sounds like none of you like Maggie too much! Some of your comments on her made me laugh out loud!**

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**Chapter 5: Edward's Office**

I didn't sleep well on Sunday night, worrying about the potential repercussions of our break room tryst and wondering what in the hell I wanted to do about pursuing something with Edward.

This morning, I looked as exhausted as I felt. I dressed conservatively in a pair of black dress pants, a white button-down shirt, and a pale blue sweater. Thankfully, the collar of the shirt mostly covered the hickey on my neck, and a judicious amount of concealer took care of the rest. I wore my hair down just to be sure it was covered. At least if I got called into HR for what we'd done, I wouldn't look like a tramp. I wasn't ashamed of sex or uncomfortable with it, but the thought of it becoming gossip fodder at work made me nauseous.

I barely managed to choke down my usual breakfast and by the time I got to work I felt like I'd be sick to my stomach. _What had I done? Why had I dragged both Edward and I into this situation?_ The idea that we could both be fired over this hit home, making my hands tremble on the wheel of my car. I had potentially ruined both of our careers. And for_ what?_ I had no idea what was going on with Edward or what he wanted from me. Feeling sick, I sat in my car in the parking garage and tried not to cry.

It wasn't until I glanced at the clock that I realized I was going to be late if I didn't hurry. Rushing into the building, I clocked in, ready to help the line of patients in front of me. It took my mind off my worries for a moment -thankfully I was able to slip into my usual routine.

At least until Edward arrived.

Tension furled in my stomach when I saw him in the lobby. He was wearing a crisp grey suit, white shirt and green, subtly-patterned tie. His steps slowed as he walked by me. He was subdued and distantly polite when he greeted me, although his gaze was warm when his eyes met mine. I fought the rising urge to reach out to him; the need for him to touch me. My voice was a whisper when I said his name and I knew he could see the panic in my eyes.

His expression was guarded but he allowed himself a little smile. It was enough to reassure me as I sat back in my chair and forced myself not to stare as he walked away. I glanced at the other women working there: Tanya was immersed in a conversation with a patient, Amber was on the phone, and Liz was staring straight at me.

I flinched and then tried to smile normally at her, terrified that she'd noticed something off about the way Edward and I greeted each other. When she looked away, I wondered if I was making too big of a deal out of this. Edward and I had been alone on Friday night. I had no reason to believe that anyone had walked by, and there was no real reason to think that Liz had noticed anything off about the way Edward and I had interacted just now. _You are being ridiculous_, I reminded myself. _Stop being so paranoid._

Still, my nerves remained frayed and raw all day, finding myself jumping any time the phone rang. I felt the blood drain from my face when I glanced down and noticed it was H.R., trembling, I reached for the phone.

"P … patient Registration … this is … this is Bella speaking," I stammered.

"Oh, Bella. Hey, sorry, this is Cathy up in H.R.. I meant to call over to Admitting in the other building. Sorry about that!"

I let out a relieved breath. "Hey, Cathy, that's okay. Uh, want me to transfer you over there?"

"Sure, thanks, Bella!"

Numbly, I dialed the number for her and hung up when it connected. My heart was hammering in my chest and I felt like I could throw up at any minute. I escaped to the restroom for a few minutes to try to pull myself together. Thankfully, my lunch break came soon after. I hadn't brought my lunch, but I knew I couldn't stomach eating anything. Instead of going in the break room like usual, I went out to my car, playing with my phone and trying not to let myself descend into an outright panic attack. I knew I couldn't sit in the room where the very passionate encounter with Edward had taken place.

The rest of the day wasn't any better; constantly on edge waiting for the call from H.R., but it never came. I tried my best to put on a bright, friendly face and act like nothing was wrong, but I found myself surreptitiously eying the door and wondering if I would have a chance to talk to Edward when he left. He was the only one who could reassure me.

I was in the middle of logging off of my computer when he walked slowly through the office. Unfortunately, Tanya was still there, chatting about her plans for the night with her boyfriend. His disappointed eyes met mine and I saw him rake his hand through his hair in frustration. Thankfully, Tanya barely even glanced at him.

"Bryan's taking me out for dinner. I'm really excited. He's been so busy lately and we've hardly had any time together."

"That's awesome." I smiled at her, mentally urging her to leave so I could talk to Edward. "What time?"

"Oh, not until seven thirty."

I glanced down at my watch. "It's five thirty, do you have enough time to get home and get ready?"

She gave me an odd look. "Of course. I laid out clothes last night and I just need to freshen my makeup and style my hair real quick. Why?"

"Just wondering." I had desperately hoped that she would leave, and maybe I could talk to Edward for a few minutes, but she didn't look like she was in any hurry. I glanced behind her and saw Edward sigh and make his way out the door. His gaze held mine until he disappeared and I saw him frown in disappointment. I knew exactly how he felt.

She turned to see where I was staring. Edward was gone, so there was nothing there for her to see. I felt terrible for not telling her about what happened with Edward, but I desperately needed to talk with him before I spilled. No matter how much I trusted her, Edward and I had too much to lose to possibly let it get out that we'd had sex. Alice lived a state away and knew none of the people involved in this, so I felt safe enough talking to her. But there was no way I could confide in Tanya, no matter how good of a friend she was.

Tanya's voice interrupted my thoughts. "Are you all right, Bella?"

I blinked. "Yeah, I'm fine. It was just a long day."

"Well, let me help you pack up."

"Okay."

I shut down my computer, and with Tanya's help, the room was tidy and organized for the next morning. I clocked out on the phone and gathered up my things.

"So, I didn't have a chance to ask you earlier," she said once we were on our way out to the parking garage. "What did you do this weekend?"

My steps faltered and I scrambled to think of something to say.

"Oh, I … I laid low. Mostly just stayed in and relaxed," I said, trying not to lie to her. There was no way I was going to tell her what actually happened yet, but I didn't want to be dishonest about it either.

"Sounds nice." She smiled at me.

I bit my lip to keep from laughing at just how _nice_it had been. I dug through my purse for my phone, turning my head away from her. "Yeah, it's amazing what some time in bed will do."

She snickered at me and nudged my arm. "Now you just need to get something in bed other than sleep."

I nodded, not trusting myself to say anything. I changed the subject instead, trying to make my voice light and teasing. "How about you? Are you going to get some tonight?"

"God, I hope so. I hate dating a law student. He's so damn busy all the time. A girl has needs, you know."

"I know." I smiled sympathetically at her. "But it'll be worth it once he's done. He'll still be busy but it won't be quite so bad."

She nodded. "Just one more year until he graduates! Thank God."

Tanya talked the whole way out to our vehicles, and I tried to nod at the appropriate times, but I was too consumed with thoughts of Edward to really pay attention. She stopped by her car and I waved goodbye before I continued on to mine.

"Have fun tonight," I called out as I walked away.

"Thanks! See you tomorrow."

"Night, Tanya!"

**~BtBR~**

The next day was much like the one before, until I got a phone call in the afternoon. "Patient Registration, this is Bella speaking. How may I help you?" I answered automatically.

"Bella, this is Edward."

My heart sped up in my chest at the sound of his voice. "Yes, Mr. Cullen, how can I help you?"

"I need you to come to my office. Can you think of an excuse as to why you would need to come in here? I really want to see you." He sighed. I glanced around, it wasn't busy and Tanya and Liz could easily handle anyone who came in.

"Uh, yes, Mr. Cullen. I'd be happy to notarize something for you. Just give me a moment to get my stamp and seal and I'll be right there."

"Oh, thank God," he groaned.

I hung up the phone, my hands shaking. "Tanya, can you cover the desks for a few minutes? I need to notarize something for someone in Administration."

"Sure," she said distractedly.

I hastily scooped up my stamp and seal and hurried back to administration. I made my way through the outer office filled with executive assistants and most of them smiled at me as I walked through. I was on good terms with just about everyone in there, but I wondered what they would think if it got out about what Edward and I had done. I wondered if their attitudes toward me would change. With a sick, sinking feeling in my stomach, I knew the answer to that. I'd be _crucified_ for it.

I stopped at Pat's desk and tried to muster up a smile for her.

"Go right in, Bella," she said. "Mr. Cullen is expecting you."

"Thanks, Pat." I smiled a little more genuinely at her and gently opened the door to his office.

"Thanks for coming in here," Edward said, standing up from his chair. "Please come in and close the door, I have some confidential paperwork I need you to notarize."

That was nothing unusual, so I closed the door, pleased to hear he'd found a way for us to have a little privacy. He stepped toward me and pulled me into his arms immediately. I sighed, feeling the tension drain from my body at the reassuring warmth. He lowered his head and brushed his lips again mine. "Thank you for coming. I needed to see you."

"Is something wrong?" I asked, pushing his hair off his forehead, wanting any excuse to touch him. The scent of his cologne filled my nostrils and I breathed deeply. I relaxed for the first time since Maggie had walked in on us, my body molding to his.

He shook his head no, tightening his arms around me. "I just hate not being able to talk to you. And I hate the way we ended things on Sunday."

"I know." I sighed and toyed with the lapels of his suit. "I hate it, too. Both, actually."

"Are you feeling any better about things?" he asked, playing with the ends of my hair.

I hesitated. "I don't know. I think I still need a little time to process everything, though."

A flicker of disappointment crossed his face. "Okay."

"I'm sorry," I apologized.

"No, don't apologize; it's a lot to deal with. Can I give you my cell number so you can call or text me if you want to talk?"

"Yeah, that would be great."

Instead of letting go of me, he walked us backward and over to his desk and sat down in his chair, gently pushing me back so I was sitting on the edge of his desk. He scooted in so his knees were on either side of mine and laid his hands in my thighs.

"I have had an awful lot of fantasies about you on this desk." He dragged his hand across the fabric of the pants covering my thigh.

I let out a shaky breath, more affected by his touch than I wanted to admit. "Don't tease me like that or I'm not going to be able to walk out of here without looking guilty."

"Believe me; I can't walk out of here any time soon, either." He gestured toward his lap and I swallowed at the sight of his cock, beginning to tent his pants. We hadn't done anything, and he was hard for me.

"I have to admit, for a little while I wondered if maybe last weekend would get you out of my system," he said.

I smiled faintly. "It didn't?"

"Not even close. The more I have you, the more I want you."

I shivered and wet my lips.

"The good news is, I think we're in the clear about what happened in the break room on Friday night," he said. "It's been quiet, and I'm sure if someone had caught us, they'd have said something by now."

I let out a relieved sigh. "Thank God. This is complicated enough."

He looked down and sighed heavily. "I'm sorry, Bella. I wish I had no history, no baggage, but I can't just wave a wand and pretend like the rest of my life isn't going to be a factor in this ..."

"No, no, Edward, I didn't mean it like that," I hastily reassured him. "I don't want you to feel bad for having a past. Not at all. I know it's just a part of you. I accept that. I just wasn't prepared for _any_of this."

"I know." He laid his palm on my thigh and I could feel the heat from his hand through it.

"It's probably my fault we're in this mess, anyway," I admitted.

"Your fault? How do you figure that?" he asked, scooting closer to me as his hands moved to grip my backside.

I reached forward and ran my hands through his hair; far from being turned off by the streaks of silver at his temples. I loved the way they contrasted with the old penny color of his hair. He made a low sound of contentment under his breath at my touch.

"I pushed you Friday. I knew you wanted me, and I was afraid that if I waited for you to make a move, it would never happen. I kind of … forced you into it." I finally voiced the worry that had been nagging at me since it happened.

He shook his head immediately. "You didn't force me into anything. I wanted you. I still want you, with a desperation that scares me sometimes. You made me see that you were just as interested in me as I was in you. That's all. You gave me the chance to turn off the instincts that kept telling me not to make a move."

"You really wouldn't have done anything, if I hadn't?"

He slowly shook his head no and I dragged my nails through his hair and down to his neck. He shuddered and closed his eyes for a moment before he spoke. "No. Not for lack of wanting to, but I was terrified you weren't interested. There is a reason there are sexual harassment laws in place. I didn't want to be the asshole in power taking advantage of a subordinate."

"Oh, Edward. You know it was nothing like that, don't you?"

He nodded, but it was a bit reluctant.

"Like I said, if anything, I pushed you," I reassured him.

"I'm really glad you did." He stretched up to kiss me, his lips brushing mine lightly at first before he deepened the kiss. His mouth was hot and just a little bit wet. Just enough so that his tongue glided against mine, igniting every nerve ending in my body at once. He pulled me forward until I slipped from the desk onto his lap. I gripped his hair harder and angled my head so we could kiss deeper.

I could feel his firm thighs against mine, and his arms closed tightly around me. We were both panting hard when his mouth left mine. I wanted to beg him to kiss me again, but his lips traveled down my neck, pushing aside my shirt so they could press teasingly against my collarbone and it felt too good to interrupt him.

"Do you know how much I want to take you on this desk?" His voice was a low, gruff whisper. It made me shiver; sending a jolt of pleasure through me, before settling low in my belly.

"Probably as badly as I want you to do it," I whispered back.

His hands splayed across my thighs and he dragged his thumbs up and inward. I exhaled raggedly, trying to compose myself.

"I need to head back, Edward. I've been here for too long."

"I know," he said tightly. "And I know if we're not careful, this sort of thing is going to blow up in our faces. But Christ, Bella, I don't know how to stay away from you anymore. Not now that I've had you."

"We both have a lot to lose," I reminded him.

He sighed and sat back, his hands moving down to my knees. He laid his head against the back of the leather office chair and took a few deep breaths. When he lifted his head again, he was calm. The fire in his eyes was gone, although when his gaze swept over me it was still soft and warm.

"You're right," he said firmly. "We do. I couldn't live with myself if I jeopardized your career. So, take a few more days to think, text me if you want to, and by the end of the week I'd really like to sit down and talk."

"That sounds good," I agreed. "Thank you, Edward."

He gently brushed his fingertips across the back of my hand. I turned it over and he slipped his hand into mine, so our palms were touching. I realized it was the first time we had ever really held hands like that, and something about it gave me a fluttery feeling deep in my chest. For a few moments, we sat like that without speaking.

Eventually, we both stood and he put his arms around me. He held me tightly against his chest, before dropping a kiss to the top of my head. It was sweet and comforting, and exactly what I needed.

The out of control lust was gone, and in its absence was an emotion far more difficult for me to understand. I had no idea what I wanted from Edward -or what he wanted from me. I only knew that this moment confirmed that there was more to it than just lust or pent-up sexual frustration.

A part of me had known that since I'd left his house on Sunday. The fact that I was even considering anything with him, when we had so much stacked against us, should have told me that I had deeper feelings for him.

"I know you have a lot to think about," Edward whispered. "And it's probably not fair of me to try to influence your decision, but I want you to know that you can trust me. If we continue this, I'll do everything I can to make sure that your job is never in any jeopardy."

I reached up and touched his face softly. "I know you will. I don't know that you can guarantee anything, but thank you for promising to try."

He didn't deny it, and with a final soft brush of our lips together, we pulled apart. I helped him straighten his tie and hair, amused when he pulled a small tub of styling product out of his desk drawer. He gave me a sheepish grin and applied it, using a small mirror attached to the back side of a cabinet door. "I try to get regular haircuts, but if I don't, my hair is out of control. Even when I haven't had a beautiful woman running her hands through it, it looks like bed-head. I can't really show up at board meetings looking like that."

I took a moment to smooth down my own hair, and check my makeup; thankful for smudge-proof lipstick.

We exchanged phone numbers and, with a final glance at Edward, I gathered my things and left. Pat looked up a little curiously when I left, but she didn't comment on the amount of time I'd spent in Edward's office.

I was grateful.

**Notes: What do you think? Is Bella being too hesitant? Or does her reluctance to decide until they talk things through make sense?**

**Did you like their brief time together in Edward's office?**

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	6. Chapter 6 - The Living Room

**Notes: **Huge thanks to the team of ladies who are working on this story; my pre-readers: Mandi Nikko, Deb Arrington, and Sandy from Southern Fiction Review. My beta, Alice's White Rabbit, and my Validation beta, Kherisma. This story wouldn't be the same without them.

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**Chapter 6 - The Living Room**

I made it through the rest of the week, but I was frustrated and unable to focus. A horrible night's sleep left me feeling exhausted when the alarm went off every morning because I couldn't stop thinking about Edward. By the time Thursday rolled around, I was a wreck. I finally caved and sent Edward a message. I hadn't been deliberately avoiding talking to him, exactly, but I wanted to make sure I'd given myself enough time to thoroughly think this through. I'd been rash and impulsive in the break room, but neither of us could afford to do that from here on out. There was too much at stake.

We made plans to talk at his place after work on Friday and as the time crept closer, I grew more and more anxious. The office was nearly deserted by 4:45, and I fidgeted impatiently at my desk, eager to leave. When Edward stepped into the office, my breath caught at the sight of him. He looked exhausted. His hair was disheveled and his tie was loose and crumpled. He stopped by my desk and looked around before speaking quietly. Amber was still there, but she was all the way across the room and talking loudly on the phone.

"I'll head home and you can meet me there, if that's okay. I thought it might be better if we left at different times." His voice was pitched low as he spoke quickly.

"Sure, I'll head out in about fifteen minutes."

"I'll pick up takeout on the way. Chinese okay?"

"Sure."

"Have a good evening, Bella," he said more loudly as he left the building.

I stared after him blankly. It was 5:05 when I finally snapped out of my trance and hastily packed up my things and helped Amber close the office for the evening. I drove too fast to Edward's house and pulled into the garage. He'd left it open, so I assumed that he wanted me to park in there. I sat in my car for a moment, my heart thudding in my chest, eager and nervous at what the night would bring.

When I finally worked up the courage to knock on the door, he yanked it open and pulled me into his arms. Immediately, his lips met mine frantically. I gasped and kissed him back, winding my fingers through his hair. I was panting and breathless when I finally pulled back. I slid my hand from the back of his head to his jaw, urging him to meet my eyes.

"Edward, we need to talk."

He sighed and leaned forward, resting his forehead against mine. "I know. Christ, I know we do but I have wanted to do that since you left on Sunday. It was so difficult seeing you this week and not touching you."

"I know," I admitted. "But I'm afraid if we continue this we'll spend the whole night in bed and not get the chance to discuss things."

"I wish we could. Not that I don't want to figure it out, but I want you in my bed, under me, coming around me. Bella, the need I have for you is unbearable sometimes."

I swallowed hard, my pulse racing at his words. "I want you just as much, Edward; believe me. But we need to talk. Please."

"Of course, I'm sorry." He sighed and stepped away from me. "Come on, let's go into the kitchen. We can eat while we discuss things."

"Okay."

When we were seated at the table and had food in front of us, I took a deep breath, steeling myself for the upcoming conversation. I knew, more than anything, we needed to decide where we were going with this, because without knowing that, there was no way we could decide anything else. My hands were shaking and I felt my stomach flip nervously. I wet my lips and spoke. "What are you looking for, Edward? Is this just a fling for you, or are you looking for something more than that?"

He looked over at me and set his chopsticks down, swallowing hard. "I know things are complicated. I'm your boss and substantially older than you. There's Maggie to consider ..." He sighed and his words trailed off. "I know it's crazy, but what I'd really like is to see if we have the potential for a relationship."

I nodded. My heart was racing in my chest at the idea of a relationship with Edward. I took a bite of food to give myself time to think. A part of me was terrified at the thought of everything Edward and I would have to overcome but I wanted it-I really did. It made no sense, really. I hardly knew him outside of who he was at work. Not to mention there were enough obstacles to prevent three relationships, not just one. But in spite of all of that, I wanted him. I couldn't explain it, but it was too powerful to ignore. By the time I'd finished chewing and swallowing, Edward was staring at me expectantly, a worried frown on his face. I had doubts, but staring in his eyes, I knew there was only one answer I could give.

"It _is_ crazy, and you're right. We do have a lot against us, but I'd like to give it a chance, too, Edward," I said softly.

The smile that lit up his face was breathtaking.

"I'll be honest though; I'm completely overwhelmed," I continued.

"Believe me, I am, too." His smile dimmed a little, but didn't fade completely and he reached over to squeeze my hand. "We'll just have to take it one step at a time."

We ate quietly for the rest of the meal, talking about inconsequential current events. It was easier than tackling the massive challenges our relationship would bring. Despite the hours and hours of talking I knew that we had ahead of us and all of the unknowns in our future, I felt strangely calm. It felt right to be with Edward like this.

When the kitchen was clean, he held out his hand. "Would you like to go in the living room? I know there's a lot more we need to discuss." He raked a hand through his hair and although he was otherwise calm, I could see the nervous tension in the gesture.

"Sure." I wound my fingers through his and followed him into the large living room. We sat on the couch next to each other and I turned to face him.

"Does Maggie hate me?" I blurted out.

He chuckled softly and settled against the arm of the couch so he could see me better. "Maggie hates everyone right now. She's convinced the world is against her. So the answer is yes, but please don't take it personally. I believe it has a lot more to do with being sixteen."

"Did you talk to her after I left?" I asked.

He nodded. "I did. I don't know how productive it was, and believe me, it was awkward as hell. I would have much rather introduced you when you were both prepared for it, and you were fully clothed. I'm sorry you ended up in such an uncomfortable position. It isn't fair to you."

"What did she say?"

"Not a whole lot to be honest. It was mostly eye rolling."

"Did she say anything about my age?"

"Just that I was 'a creeper for hooking up with someone so much younger'." His grin was wry.

I laughed, amused, despite the situation. "I can understand her perspective."

He sighed. "I can, too. But there's something between us, Bella. I've tried to fight it, but that just made me miserable. I'm sick of that. I want to get to know you. I want to touch you; I need you like I've never needed anyone else."

A fluttery feeling filled my stomach and I had a hard time suppressing a grin at his words. After so many years of yearning for him, knowing that his feelings for me were just as strong was so validating. I hadn't been at all mistaken about the connection we had. But to be honest, I was frightenedby it, by my feelings and all of the obstacles we needed to overcome.

"I need you, too, Edward. I'm just feeling a little overwhelmed by all of this. It's been quite a while since I've been in a relationship and I've missed it. My first instinct is to just jump into this and see where it goes." I closed my eyes for a moment and took a deep breath. "I'll be honest with you, though. I am scared, Edward. The feelings I have for you are far more intense than I'm used to. When you throw in the million other things we have to deal with, I don't know if we can do it. As much as I want a relationship with you, I don't know that I can just throw caution to the wind and see where it takes us without figuring out a few things first. There's too much to consider."

"Can we break this down into more manageable pieces? If we lay out some expectations, we can see if we can find a solution to some of the problems. I'm not willing to just give up on the idea of us. And I'm definitely not willing to have you as a lover and nothing else."

"I bet you're like this at the office, too, aren't you?" I mused.

"Completely bewildered about how turned on I am?" He chuckled. "Just when I'm around you."

I smiled at him. "No. Focused, driven, goal-oriented."

"It's how I got where I am. Is that a bad thing?"

"No, not at all," I reassured him. Actually, I found it rather sexy.

"Look, we have problems, but I don't think they're insurmountable." He found a pad of paper and a pen and started making a list. I smiled at him, amused by the organized efficiency in front of me. "What's the first obstacle?"

"Work, I guess," I offered. "I don't know what to do. "Do we have to inform H.R?"

"We should if we're going to go public about our relationship. There isn't a non-fraternization policy for all employees, but since I'm the V.P. your department answers to, we have to. All of your evaluations go through me. Our relationship could be construed as sexual harassment."

"Can they keep us from seeing each other?" I asked.

He sighed. "They will _strongly_advise against it. And most likely they'll give us an ultimatum that we have to choose our relationship or our current jobs. I'm sure there will be a number of issues we have to consider. We might actually want to meet with a lawyer about this."

"Could we get fired for it?" I asked.

"Yes, if they caught us having sex at work, or could somehow prove that we have."

I tilted my head back and stared at the ceiling for a moment. "God, I am glad no one caught us that night. I'm sorry I was so reckless, Edward."

He put his arm on my thigh, his hand warm through the fabric of my skirt. "I'm not sorry. It _was_reckless, but it was some of the best sex I've had in my life. It's the kind of thing I've fantasized about for years."

"You don't think there's any chance we could get caught?"

"For what happened that night? Not unless there was security footage of it, but as far as I'm aware there isn't a security camera in that room."

"I hope not," I said, sounding aghast.

"Look, I don't think there is. I truly don't believe we have anything to worry about. We do have to be scrupulously careful in the future, though."

"So, if we informed H.R., what then?"

"I don't know," he said. "Honestly, it's not something I've dealt with before. At the bare minimum, we'd have to have someone else review any evaluations for your department and oversee everything I do that could possibly relate me to you.

I nodded and he sighed, leaning forward to rest his forearms on his thighs. "Frankly, we'd be much better off not going public until you're no longer my subordinate." I nodded and he continued. "Either way, one of us has to switch departments."

"But you're a V.P. There's no way that you could just switch departments, Edward," I said, horrified that he was even considering it. "I can start looking for new positions though."

"Bella, I don't want you to feel like you're being forced into looking for a new job. That isn't fair to you, or to your career." He sat up and his hand came up to stroke my cheek. "But I'll be honest; I could be in for a world of trouble for this. I know exactly what happened between us and yet I _still_ feel like I did something inappropriate. The rest of the world could assume the worst. I could lose my job and face legal repercussions."

"I won't let that happen," I said flatly. I reached out and took his hand, winding our fingers together. "There's only one thing we can do then, I guess."

"What's that?"

"Keep this a secret, at least until I graduate and get a new job."

"When will that be?" Edward asked, looking troubled.

"I graduate in December. But, I have no idea if I'll be able to find something right away. I'm studying Marketing and I'd like to find a job within the hospital."

"I could ask Jasper Whitlock to keep an eye out for you," he said. "He'll know what jobs are coming available for his department."

I hesitated. "Edward, don't take this the wrong way but I'm not sure I'm comfortable with that. I want to succeed on my own merit."

He sighed and nodded. "Of course, I completely understand. If Jasper didn't know about what was happening between us, and I merely told him that I had an employee who was interested in a position, would that be acceptable? It's something I would do for _any_ employee looking for a better position within the company."

"That would be all right, I suppose," I said. "I just want to be careful about this."

"I know, and I like that about you. You've always been an extraordinarily good employee. You really impressed me that day that you helped the woman who was going into diabetic shock."

I blinked in surprise. "You remember that?"

He smiled faintly and his eyes grew warm and soft. "It's when I first noticed you as something other than just an employee. You were ... extraordinary. You handled the entire situation with a calm, capable grace and yet you were so kind and compassionate to her."

"I really don't think I did anything out of the ordinary."

He shook his head. "You did, believe me. I've been at Providence a long time, and I've never seen anyone handle a crisis so well-at least outside of the clinical units."

"Thank you." I looked down at our hands. "You've really wanted me that long?"

"Yes."

"But that was over two years ago. Wasn't that before you separated from Heidi?"

"I told her I wanted a separation about six weeks after that."

I frowned. "Not-Not because of me, right?"

He hesitated, and I gasped at the look on his face. "Edward?"

"No, not entirely because of you. Maybe not even mostly because of it. Heidi and I had many problems long before you existed." His eyes flew to mine when he realized what he'd said. "Christ, I didn't mean that literally. I wasn't with Heidi twenty-two years ago."

We both winced at the reminder of the age gap between us and he groaned. "I feel like a disgusting old man when I realize I was seventeen when you were born."

"Disgusting? No. Old maybe..." I teased, trying to lighten the mood, and he cracked a smile.

"Seriously though, Edward, I don't want you to feel like that. We're both adults. I'm not some fifteen-year-old child that you took advantage of. Yes, there's an age gap. Yes, there are going to be some issues that come up because of it. But if we can ignore what other people think about it, I don't see how it should be a problem."  
"All right. I'm just going to have to have thick skin about it."

I nodded. "So, what's our next issue?"  
"I guess it's kind of tied into that. How we'll deal with the gossip once we do eventually go public."

"It's going to be bad, Edward."

"I know." He sighed and sat back against the couch. "I'm going to get accused of robbing the cradle and cheating on my ex-wife with you. And you're going to get called a gold digger, as ridiculous and unfair as that is."

"Exactly, I'll look like a poor college student who is trying to get her claws into you."

"I can't imagine a single person who actually knows you, ever thinking that about you," he said.

"But there are plenty of people who don't know me, who will think _exactly_ that."

"Can you live with that?" he asked. His brow was furrowed, and I could see that he was anxious about my answer.

"For a chance to be with you? Yes," I answered without hesitation. "I'm a little terrified about the backlash. If we can keep this a secret until I've graduated and have an actual career in a department you aren't overseeing, I think we'll be okay. I think I can handle it."

He pulled me closer, so my knee was touching his thigh and he traced the back of his fingers across my cheek. "I'm glad. You have to know, Bella, I'm not going into this lightly. If I didn't have strong feelings for you, I wouldn't even attempt it."

I nodded. "I wouldn't either."

"Are there any other issues you're worried about?"

"My biggest concern is Maggie," I said softly and he sighed.

"Because you don't want to date someone who has a child, or because you think she doesn't like you?"

"I don't know _how_ to date someone with a child. It's never really crossed my mind."

"I think for right now, all you have to do is be open to the idea of her. You don't have to become best friends. You don't need to be her mother; you just have to be okay with the fact that she exists. Sometimes her needs are going to take priority over yours. If you're okay with that, I think we'll be fine. That being said, I will _never_ let her get away with being rude to you, or trying to get between us. I hope that you two will get along, and that occasionally the three of us can spend time together and all enjoy it. But that doesn't have to happen right away."

Edward's reassurance helped; I still wasn't really comfortable with the idea of Maggie yet. But I wasn't about to give up on the idea of a relationship with him _because_ of Maggie, either.

"I certainly never thought I would date someone with a child so close to my own age. That's probably what I'm having the hardest time with," I admitted.

"Believe me, how close you are in age to Maggie was one of the things that made _me_ hesitant to pursue you. It makes the age difference between us even more glaringly obvious. But if you think you can handle it, and be open to the idea of Maggie, I think we should give this a chance."

"I am nervous," I said finally. "But nothing that we've talked about is a deal breaker. I want to try."

"Thank you," he said seriously. "I'll do everything I can to make this as easy on you as possible. I don't want you to ever feel like our relationship is hurting your career or making you unhappy."

"_Our relationship_ ... that's almost surreal to hear."

"It is."

He smiled and tugged me onto his lap, reclining against the arm of the couch and stretching his legs out so I was half-draped over him. Clearly, the conversation portion of the evening was over. I knew we had more to cover eventually, but I was feeling too happy at the thought of being with Edward to dwell on it.

"Did you picture us in a relationship? Or were your fantasies just ... physical?" I slipped a hand onto his stomach and gently tugged at his crisp button-down shirt, pulling it out of the waistband of his pants. I slipped my hand under it and the undershirt he wore, wanting to feel his bare skin against my palm. He sighed with pleasure when I touched him.

"I wanted to think of you that way. But the idea of you even wanting something physical with me seemed so ludicrous. I hardly let myself consider the idea of something more."

"How can you possibly think I didn't want you, Edward?"

"Why would I assume you would? I am nearly twenty years older, your boss, and I have a child. I was married. I don't think that exactly makes me a prime catch for a college student. Especially for someone as beautiful as you who has so much going for her. There has to be dozens of guys closer to your age who are interested."

I laughed. "Probably not dozens. I'm not saying that there aren't any guys interested in me. I've certainly had a few ask me out in the last few months, but I'm not interested in them. Honestly, Edward, you're the only man I've been attracted to in a long time."

He played with my hair, a curious mix of affection and bewilderment in his gaze. "I'm trying to accept that at face value, but the doubts keep creeping in."

"Try not to let them. Would it help if I told you that no one has ever made me come harder?"

I saw a smirk begin at the corners of his mouth. "If it's the truth."

"Of course it is. I wouldn't tell you something like that if it wasn't. I'm not trying to flatter you, Edward; just letting you know how I feel about you. The issues we have to face aside, if you can't believe that I want you for who you are, I don't see that we can get very far with this."

He nodded and rubbed his hand over his face. "How's that for a surprise? I'm the insecure, immature one, and you're talking sense into me."

I chuckled. "Look, I'm not saying I didn't have doubts myself. I thought you probably were looking for someone far more mature and sophisticated than I am. Someone more like Heidi." I hated even bringing her into the conversation, but I thought it best that we avoid speaking in circles. Not only did Edward need to understand why I wanted him, we had to be sure to communicate. With so much stacked against us, it was the only chance we had to make this work.

Edward scowled. "A woman like Heidi is the exact opposite of what I'm looking for. I don't hate her, but I stopped respecting her a very long time ago. I want someone who cares about me and is willing to make our relationship a priority. Not at the detriment of a career, of course. I want success for both of us. But I want to be with someone who cares about me, for me. Not because of what I can do for her. Not because we can be some power couple, but because she can't imagine life without me. And that goes both ways."

I swallowed hard, a little stunned by the passion in his words. I think Edward could see my surprise, because he hurried to reassure me. "I don't mean to rush things; I know we hardly know each other at this point. I just want you to know what kind of relationship I'm looking for _eventually_. I don't want to scare you off; I just want to be upfront about this. I keep telling you, I'm not taking this lightly, Bella."

"I understand. And I know this probably should go without saying, but you can trust me, Edward. I'm sure Heidi's affairs were difficult for you to deal with, but that's not me. It's never

been me."

"I know that. And I don't want to let her mistakes ruin what we could have. I trust you."

"I won't let you down, Edward."

He wrapped his arm more tightly against my waist and slid me up his body so our lips were inches apart. Rather than speak, he kissed me. His lips were soft against mine, unhurried and thorough as ever. But the desperation took over as his tongue slipped into my mouth and his hands pressed me down against him, molding my body to his. One hand cupped my ass and slid down the back of my thigh to hitch my leg over his hip, centering me squarely over his hardness. He groaned, low in his throat and his neck bent back, exposing his throat to me. I kissed it, flicking my tongue against his Adam's apple, which made him press me tighter to him.

"You left a mark on me last weekend, Edward," I said playfully, unbuttoning his shirt slowly, starting from the top.

"I did?" he asked, sounding curious, but rather distracted by the kisses that followed my fingers.

"Mhhmm. On my neck."

"Let me see." He reached up and pushed aside my collared shirt, his thumb brushing over the still faintly visible mark. "Sorry."

"Were you feeling a tad possessive?" I teased him.

"I think I just lost control. I liked having my mouth on you so much; I was a little rougher than I planned. I'll admit to a certain amount of male pride at the sight of you being claimed as mine. Still, I'll have to be more careful. I don't want to leave you with marks you might get questions about at work."

"That's appreciated. But I might let you mark me, if it's somewhere hidden."

His eyes gleamed. "Hmm, that's a thought."

"Just so you know, I might want to return the favor."

I leaned down and pressed my lips against the skin left bare by the V-neck undershirt of his. He groaned when I kissed there. "You can do anything you'd like to me."

I laughed lowly. "You should be careful about saying that. I might take advantage."

"Bella, I want you in every way possible. Believe me, there is no taking advantage of me. I spent this whole week desperate to be with you again."

I sat up, and he gasped when the change in position situated me more firmly against his hardened length. I finished unbuttoning his shirt and he sat up and helped me slide it off him. He removed the undershirt as well until he was bare from the waist up.

"I want you, too," I said. "I've never been so anxious to have someone inside me."

He chuckled throatily. "I'm happy to oblige."

"Here or do you want to go upstairs?"

He grinned. "Well, as much as I love the idea of you riding me right here, it's probably better if we go up to my room. Maggie should be at Heidi's, but last Sunday was awkward enough. We don't need a repeat or something even worse."

I winced at the thought. "I think it might permanently traumatize all of us if it was worse."

"In that case, I'll have to make do with seeing you ride me in my bed."

I slowly sat up and slipped off Edward. "You really want me on top of you, don't you?"

He chuckled and stood up, slipping a hand onto my hip as he leaned into me. His breath was hot against my neck. "As long as I'm inside you, I'm not sure I care what position we're in."

We hastily gathered up his discarded shirts and headed for the stairs, but he paused at the foot of them, frowning. "Did you bring an overnight bag? I thought you were staying."

"I left it in my car, just in case..."

"In case of what?"

I looked down. "In case we couldn't find a way to work things out, or we weren't on the same page. I just didn't want to make it awkward."

"Oh." He nodded. "All right. Well, let's go get it now. I very much want you to stay."

* * *

**Notes: **What did you think about their conversation? Is it a good start for them? Do you think they should have gone more in depth, or is it enough for now?

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	7. Chapter 7 - The Shower

**Notes: **Huge thanks to the team of ladies who are working on this story; my pre-readers: Mandi Nikko, Deb Arrington, and Sandy from Southern Fiction Review. My beta, Alice's White Rabbit, and my Validation beta, Kherisma.

We're going to try something new and aim for posting a chapter of "Beyond the Break Room" every Tuesday. *crosses fingers*

* * *

**Chapter 7 – The Shower**

Several hours after Edward and I retrieved my overnight bag from my car, we were sated—at least temporarily. The time in between had been spent learning each other's body and releasing all of the pent-up frustration from the week prior. Happy to indulge Edward's desire to see me on top of him, I rode him to a staggering climax that left both of us sweating and exhausted. After, he parted my legs and went down on me, completely un-phased by the fact that he'd just come inside of me minutes before. In truth, I found it kind of hot. With his mouth and tongue working me over so thoroughly, I could hardly think straight; I wasn't about to argue.

Still sensitive, Edward easily brought me to an orgasm with his mouth that left me breathless. Dizzy from the pleasure, I curled up with my head on his chest and blurted out the first thing that came to mind. "How in the hell are you so good in bed if you and Heidi had such a terrible sex life?"

He laughed and ran a hand down my arm, pulling me closer. I scrambled to apologize when I realized that was a terrible question to ask. Especially while we were naked in bed. "I'm sorry—shit, I shouldn't have asked that. It's none of my business. I'm just a bit surprised."

"It's fine, Bella. I think I like your lack of filter. To answer your question, before she got pregnant with Maggie, we _did_ have a decent sex life. And then again for a few years once we both started at Providence. It certainly went downhill rapidly after that, though. To be honest, I can't remember the last time we had sex; it was at least six months to a year before I caught her with Felix. Then there were a few women I dated after she and I separated."

"Oh," I replied, still feeling idiotic for asking in the first place.

"I truly give all of the credit for my skills to you though," he continued.

"To me?" I asked incredulously.

"Sure, over two years of fantasizing will do that to a man. I've imagined it all so thoroughly, I know exactly what I want to do to you."

I laughed. "Well, if that's it, keep doing it. You're incredible."

"Do I want to ask you the same question?"

"I've never slept with Heidi."

He gave me a pointed look. "You know what I mean."

"I don't know. How jealous of a person are you?"

He shrugged. "Given my history with Heidi, I can't say I'm not jealous at all. But it's not a major issue for me, if that's what you're concerned about. I'm certainly not going to be angry about the fact that I wasn't your first."

"Good, I probably wouldn't have been brave enough to have my way with you on the counter in the break room if I'd been a virgin," I teased.

"Now there is a solid argument in favor of me _not_ being a jealous asshole."

I chuckled and stretched. "As for my past, I had several serious relationships, but it's been a few years. Although I had a few more casual flings, they weren't necessarily that spectacular. I don't know, I'd say my experience has been pretty average, both in number and quality."

"You seem comfortable with yourself in that regard though," he said.

"I am."

"Not that I'm complaining," Edward said. "In fact, I'm thrilled."

"Thrilled, huh?"

His hand snaked down to cup my ass. "Bella, if my reaction to you hasn't been clear, I feel like I've fallen into some sort of fantasy. I'm sure every man would."

I giggled. "I think your reactions have been pretty clear."

**~BtBR~**

Although Edward and I didn't spend as _much_ of the weekend in bed as we did the previous time, we certainly enjoyed each other. Multiple times. On most of the surfaces of his bedroom and bathroom. We also spent a lot of time talking. If we'd done our best to avoid discussing real life the previous weekend, this time we made up for it.

"Where were you born?" Edward asked, his lips skimming across my stomach.

I was more focused on the feel of his lips than what he was asking. It took me a moment to respond. It was late Saturday evening; we'd spent the day alternating between sex and conversation. We had eaten dinner, and were now in his bedroom again. "What?"

"Where were you born?" He rolled away onto his back and looked over at me.

"Uh, Providence here in Portland, actually. My mom had a difficult pregnancy. My parents were living where they live now—in Silverlight, about an hour south of here. Her OB doctor sent her to Providence a few weeks before I was due. They had to do a C-Section. There were some complications and they had to do a hysterectomy after. It's why I'm an only child. You?"

"Boston."

"Did you grow up there?" I asked, scooting over so my head was now resting on his shoulder.

"Not for long. I was five or six when we moved."

"Why did your family move?"

"My father's a doctor. He was offered a position here in Portland. My mother hated the move initially; she thought Portland was a hick town compared to Boston. But she fell in love with this house."

"You grew up here?" I asked, surprised.

"Yes. I only moved back in after the divorce with Heidi was final. A few months after that actually."

"No wonder it looks so empty."

He chuckled. "I wondered when you'd comment on that. I gave Heidi the house we'd bought together and pretty much left everything there. I didn't want it, and it gave Maggie some stability. I just haven't had a chance to do anything with it, yet."

"Are your parents still around?" I asked.

"Yes, but they're in their seventies and this house was too big for them to manage. I didn't want it to leave the family. I hoped my brother would want it, but he and his wife have a nice place that they didn't want to leave."

"You have a brother?"

"Yes. Carlisle, he's nine years older."

"Have you told him about … well, about us?"

"Not yet. I want to, but I thought I should wait until we'd talked and figured out where we were going with this. And even then, I might wait. He's a surgeon at Providence. He'd be discreet, but no point in risking it if we don't have to."

"Yeah, that makes sense."

"Have you told anyone?" he asked.

"Just my friend, Alice."

"The one you met at the bar that night?"

"Yes. I'm surprised you remember her name."

He shrugged. "I'm good with names. What did she say?"

"She's still recovering from a bad breakup; she's a little … uh, anti-man, right now."

"That good, huh?"

"She thinks I'm crazy for attempting this," I admitted.

"She might be right." Edward sighed.

"Contrary to her own personal beliefs, Alice doesn't know everything. And she doesn't know you. Or, how I feel about you."

"We probably should be careful about talking to anyone about our relationship though. Just because of the consequences if anyone connected to the hospital were to find out."

"Oh, I know. I only told Alice because she lives in Seattle. I really don't have to worry about her blabbing to anyone."

"You and Tanya Denali seem to be quite good friends."

"We are, but I didn't tell Tanya what happened, and I won't," I reassured him.

He nodded. "I'm sorry we have to keep this so secret."

"I am, too."

"It means at least three months of sneaking around and hiding. I won't be able to take you out, we'll have to avoid anything in public, and be extremely cautious at work. It's not a great way to start this." Edward sighed and ran his hand up my arm. "I want to do better than that, Bella. This is the first time in _years_ that I've been with someone I care so much about."

"You and Heidi were really that estranged?" I asked.

He laughed hollowly. "You've seen her around the hospital, I'm sure."

I nodded and let my fingertips trail down his stomach. "Yeah, I have."

His voice was bitter when he spoke. "You know how she comes across: polite, cool, self-assured. She was like that at home. There was no spark. No warmth. She was perfect and pulled together every moment of every day. There weren't quickies on the counter, or afternoons in bed. For years, we either slept side-by-side without touching, or in separate beds. We didn't hold hands, we didn't kiss. She had no interest in oral sex. Hell, she made me feel guilty every time I so much as got hard."

I frowned. "That's a miserable life."

"It was."

"What about with Maggie? You said Heidi didn't really want to be a mother. What was she like once you were all here in Portland together?"

He shrugged. "She tried. For a while, she did pretty well, even. But the more responsibilities she took on at work the less she was home. She rarely went to parent-teacher conferences or soccer games. And if she did go to the games, she was on her laptop or her phone. I didn't mind doing those things for Maggie. I loved it. But I know it hurt Maggie that her mother wasn't there more."

"Was she at least affectionate with Maggie?"

"She's not the warmest person. Maggie always came to me when she had bad dreams or skinned knees, but yes, Heidi hugged her, kissed her goodbye in the morning. Told her she loved her."

"That's good."

He scowled. "I would have left her a long time ago if that hadn't been the case."

I blurted out the thing I'd been wondering for a while. "Why Felix? What on earth attracted her to him?"

"Power. He's on the board of directors at Providence. And he has some connections at hospitals in Chicago and New York. I think Heidi's hoping that once Maggie goes off to college in a few years, she can use him to get into a better position at one of the hospitals there."

"I just don't understand it. If that was the case, why didn't she leave you?"

"Image. It suited her image better if she had a perfect family. She's very much about appearances."

"But an affair hardly fits with that."

"Well, I don't think she expected to get caught. I had gone out of town for a conference, but got sick partway through and flew home early. Maggie was at school and Heidi thought she and Felix would be alone."

"I'm sorry that happened," I said softly.

Edward gave me a half-hearted smile. "I am and I'm not. I needed something to finally convince me to get out of my sham of a marriage. And if it hadn't happened, _we_ certainly wouldn't be here now."

I sat up and looked down at Edward. He was sprawled naked across the bed and I felt my mouth go dry at the sight of him. His body was lean and long, not heavily muscled, but very fit. "It still feels kind of surreal."

"I know." He reached out and touched my thigh. "I swear, some days I feel like I'm dreaming."

"A good dream, I hope."

"The best."

**~BtBR~**

On Sunday morning, we cooked breakfast together.

"I've never done this before," Edward said, as he laid out plates and forks for the pancakes I was making.

"Set the table?" I glanced over at him in astonishment and he grinned at me.

"Give me a little more credit than that. I'm very capable, you know."

I grinned back. Yes, I knew exactly how _capable_ Edward was.

"I've never made breakfast with someone." The spatula I'd been using to flip a pancake hovered in the air as I stared at him in astonishment.

"Never?"

"No. Heidi was always watching her weight or too busy to sit down for breakfast. I cooked breakfast on the weekends for Maggie, but Heidi never ate with us."

"That's kind of sad." I set the spatula down and looked over to him.

He nodded. "So much of this is new to me."

"Some of it is new to me, too. I guess we'll just have to figure this out together." I'd never made breakfast with someone I was dating either, at least not like this. The guys I'd dated had been in their early twenties. College guys—ones who went to diners for greasy breakfasts to soothe the hangover from the frat party the night before. Or who lived on cereal and were lucky to have milk in the refrigerator that hadn't gone bad. Not men with mortgages, ex-wives, and inherited family homes. Our lives really were worlds apart. And yet, we seemed to mesh so well.

His smile was tentative, but hopeful. I wondered if mine looked the same.

After breakfast, when the kitchen was clean and the dishes were put away, he dragged me onto his lap. His goal wasn't seduction, but wanting me close. I was dressed; there was no way I was potentially having Maggie walk in on us again. Edward had vehemently protested the idea of me getting fully dressed, so I was wearing a pair of sleep shorts and a thin T-shirt. His hand was hot against my bare thigh, and he was dressed more casually, as well. Although, even his pajama pants were made from crisp, expensive fabric and his T-shirt probably cost more than the clothes I normally wore to work.

Still, he was relaxed and happy-looking. It made me so pleased to see him that way. "What now?" he asked.

"I don't know. What would you like to do?"

"Hmm, well, I have several ideas, but none of them are really feasible."

"Why not?"

"One is to take you out on a date, which we can't do."

"Right," I agreed. "I'm sorry."

"If it's between being with you or not, it's an easy choice," I reassured him. Still, it was strange to think that we couldn't leave the house together. The next few months would have to be spent secluded from the rest of the world.

"We'll get through until December; you'll get a job in your field, and then I'll make up for lost time," he promised.

Secretly, I wondered if it would be that easy, but I nodded. "What was your other idea?"

"Staying in bed for the next six days."

I laughed. "Right, also not possible."

He glanced at the clock. "I can't even spend six hours."

Maggie was supposed to get home at seven p.m., but we agreed that I should leave around four, just in case.

"Well, we do have four hours," I teased him. He wrapped his arms around me and stood, letting my body slide slowly down his. He turned me so I was facing away from him and placed his hands on my hips, coaxing me to move forward.

"Think of all of the things I could do to your body in four hours," he teased, his breath hot against the back of my neck. "All of the positions, the number of times you could come."

I shivered at the thought and walked more quickly up the stairs.

**~BtBR~**

He worshiped me.

His mouth devoured mine. His hands removed every stitch of clothing from my body, and then touched me reverently. His lips and tongue trailed fiery kisses to my breasts and settled there for a while. He alternated sucking and nibbling, until the nipples were so tight it was almost painful.

He knelt between my parted thighs, hands on either one of my knees, keeping them apart. He wasn't close enough for me to get any friction by rubbing against him. I exhaled with relief when his lips moved lower only to whine in frustration when he sat back. His kisses moved from my shins, to behind my knee, to the spot about halfway up my thigh that made me shiver.

I could hear myself panting, the sound obscenely loud in the otherwise silent room. I was startled when he spoke. "I jerked off in my office, once."

"What?" I blinked at him; my mind so far gone in pleasure that I could hardly even focus on what he was saying.

"That day you wore the tight black skirt and white sweater. And, the high heels that made your legs look so good. I talked to you that morning, and then went to a meeting. I spent the whole meeting with the smell of your perfume in my nose and the worst hard-on I've ever had to deal with. I spent the entire time imagining you spread out across the goddamn table in the boardroom."

His hands slid up my thighs, thumbs dragged up the soft skin achingly slowly. "I fucked up my presentation that morning, and it was your fault. I couldn't concentrate on anything but the image of that skirt slid up around your hips and your heels digging into my back as I ate you out. I wanted to know if you tasted like I imagined.

"After the meeting, I went back to the office. I told Pat I had an important call to make, and locked the door. I sat at my desk and I thought I'd have a heart attack as I unzipped and pulled my cock out. I could almost taste you. I felt so guilty thinking of you that way, and yet, I couldn't stop."

His thumbs stopped at the crease of my inner thighs.

"I swear I nearly blacked out when I came. When I ran out of the building that night, I wondered if you could read me, see what I'd done. And then I got hard again, thinking maybe you'd like knowing what I'd done."

I shuddered at his words and the low rasping promise in his voice.

"I do," I moaned. "It makes me so wet to know you fantasized about me."

His mouth hovered over my pussy and I felt a warm puff of air with every word he spoke. "Close your eyes and imagine you're on the table in the boardroom. It's empty, apart from the two of us, and I'm on my knees in front of you."

I fell back onto the bed, my eyes closing immediately, as he began to touch me. I let out a sobbing cry when I felt the first slow lick of his tongue curling up one side of my lips, and down the other. His thumbs spread me open so he could lap at the wetness gathering there. He'd gone down on me before, but not like this. Not this slowly and deliberately until my body was shaking and I felt like I'd shatter. And he hadn't even touched my clit yet.

I fell apart when he did, a desperate plea on my lips. My hand was buried in his hair to hold him tight to me. He sucked lightly and that talented tongue—licking, twining, and stroking—sent me hurtling over the edge into something so intense I could barely breathe. What felt like years later, I became aware that I was whimpering and my thighs were trembling. My grip on Edward's hair eased and he lifted his head, trailing kisses up my inner thigh, his mouth wet from my arousal.

I shivered at the sight of his half-closed eyes. I'd been the one to come and yet he was the one who looked drugged and pleasured. "Come here." I gasped.

He slid up my body as I re-positioned myself on the bed. There was no hesitation as his hard cock slid into me, and my mouth captured his. The intimacy of kissing him after he'd gone down on me was new, as was the fact that I felt a jolt of arousal at the taste of my own body. I urged him to move within me and a quick, fluid rhythm began. His hands were rough as they tangled in my hair and I wrapped my legs around his hips, needing to feel him closer.

I heard my whispered pleas, begging him, urging him on. And all I could do was hold on tightly while he pounded into me, my body shaking, my head filled with his low voice in my ear, coaxing me to come. The pleasure raced through me, spiraling quickly out of control and when I shattered apart, I dug my nails into his back. I was dimly aware of his low growl of satisfaction and he reached for the headboard to get more leverage as he came in me with a few hard thrusts.

Utterly spent, he collapsed on me and rolled us to our sides. My legs locked around his hips, kept us joined and he kissed me deeply, his hand still buried in my hair. When he pulled back, I gave him a lazy smile, but his expression was strangely tense and worried.

"I don't deserve you."

I blinked in astonishment. Jesus, it was like he had some sort of over-active guilt complex that always kicked in right after amazing sex. "Why on earth would you say that?"

"Come on, Bella. You're a gorgeous, sexy woman. You could have any guy who wanted you and I can't even take you out on a goddamn date."

"And I want _you_," I said stubbornly. "Edward, I get that Heidi probably did a number on your self-confidence when it comes to women, but you have to stop this. Don't you dare try to tell me what I should be feeling when it should be glaringly obvious that it's only _you_ I want."

He winced and looked away. It felt odd to still have his partially-hard cock inside of me when we were for all intents and purposes having a fight, or at least a minor squabble. I unwound my legs and gently pushed him away.

"I'm sorry," he said sincerely, but it wasn't so easy to forget the words he'd just spoken. I didn't like all of the doubts he had about us.

"What am I going to have to do to convince you?" I asked. "Tell me and I'll do it."

"There's nothing you can do. It's all on me."

"Then figure it out, Edward. I'll be patient, but if you don't find a way to move past this … how are we ever going to deal with everything else?" He dragged the back of his finger across my cheek, making me shiver at the soft touch.

"I know." This time when he pulled me close to him again I didn't fight it. There was nothing more I could really say to reassure him. It would just take time.

We spent a long while in bed, talking quietly, his lips brushing my forehead or cheek every so often. With a sigh, I eventually sat up. "I should get ready and head out. It's almost four."

Edward frowned. "I'm not ready to have you go."

"It's not that I want to leave, but you know I have to."

"I know."

**~BtBR~**

We showered together, his strong body pressing me into the pale, tumbled stone tiles; his kisses and touch were apologetic. He whispered in my ear how much he wanted me as his cock pushed into me. He planted his hands on either side of my head, bracing himself as he rocked in and out of me with a slow, steady rhythm. The hot water poured around us, and steam filled the shower, flushing my skin with heat. I could hear him panting against my ear, his body pressed firmly against my back, pinning me in place. The slightly rough tiles rubbed against my sensitive nipples and I whimpered.

One hand dropped to my hip so he could get better leverage and I closed my eyes, feeling the tension inside me reach its peak at his hard, deep thrusts. I cried out his name and heard the answering muffled groan of his pleasure in my ear.

"I'm sorry," he panted. "So sorry."

"I know." I turned in his arms and he held me tightly, his cheek pressed to the top of my head. "It'll be okay."

We held each other for a long time in the steam-filled shower, reassuring each other that we would be okay and that we could make this relationship work.

When he walked me out to my car and we kissed goodbye, both of us were reluctant to let each other go. "Be patient with me," Edward pleaded. "I want this and I want you, Bella."

"I do, too. I'll be patient," I promised him. But it worried me how unsure of himself he seemed to be. For all of his confidence and power at work, in his personal life he seemed so much less sure.

* * *

**Notes: **Well, unfortunately, Edward is still struggling a bit. His marriage to Heidi did a real number on his self-confidence and having to keep their relationship a secret doesn't help. It's going to take him a little while to trust Bella's feelings.

-What do you think about their weekend together?

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	8. Chapter 8 - The Past

**Notes: **I can't forget to thank the team of ladies who are working on this story; my pre-readers: Mandi Nikko, Deb Arrington, and Sandy from Southern Fiction Review. My beta, Alice's White Rabbit, and my Validation beta, Kherisma. I 3 them.

This chapter is an EPOV outtake. It covers from when he was still married to Heidi and when he first met Bella, and became interested in her.

* * *

**Chapter 8 – The Past**

**EPOV**

I had spent years making other people happy. I'd put my own needs and desires last. It was the right thing to do; I had a wife and child to take care of. But it wore on me; made me feel years older than I really was. Putting Maggie first was easy, she was my daughter, and I loved her deeply.

I'd love Heidi, too, initially. But over the years the love faded as it became clear that she was more concerned about herself than about our family. Maggie was my joy. When she was young, despite the long grueling hours and the lack of affection from Heidi, when I came home from work every night to see her smiling face, it made every sacrifice worthwhile. But as she got older, it became more and more obvious that my attempts to build a happy family were doing more harm than good.

It was easy to see now that I never should have tried to force Heidi to marry me and be a mother to Maggie. I wanted so desperately to be responsible, to do the right thing by Heidi and Maggie both, that I made us all miserable.

I don't want to say that meeting Bella Swan was the reason for me ending my marriage, but the two events occurred simultaneously and, in a way, they would always be inextricably linked in my mind.

Truthfully, I hardly noticed when she first started working at Providence. She only worked part-time and the hospital had a fairly high turnover rate for that sort of job. I paid as much attention as was warranted by my position as the vice president who oversaw her department. At her ninety-day evaluation, I reviewed and signed off on the assessment the director of her department, Jane, had done of her, which guaranteed her a raise, and continued employment.

Jane was a hard-ass, so it surprised me to see that her evaluation was a glowing one. Jane had praised Bella's work ethic, attendance and general fitness for the job like she'd never praised any of the other employees she managed, so I began to pay more attention to Bella.

Roughly six months after she was hired at Providence, I saw exactly why Jane raved about her so much. I'd been headed out to a meeting that was being held off-campus and was waiting in the lobby for a colleague was planning to ride with to the meeting. I was idly scrolling through email on my phone when Bella crossed my path. I glanced up, gave her a polite smile, and nodded at her. I made it a point to know the names of all of the employees under me, and I found myself evaluating her as she walked by.

"Morning, Mr. Cullen," she said.

"Morning, Ms. Swan."

She was dressed well in black pants and moderate-height heels. I couldn't see her upper body with the heavy wool jacket she had on over it, but her hair was down and she looked nicely put together. It was amazing how many people seemed to find it impossible to dress appropriately for work.

She smiled back at me, slipped her gloves off and into her pocket, and began to unwind the soft blue scarf around her neck. Clearly, she was heading into work for the day. I turned back to my phone and was startled when I heard someone speak loudly. "I need some help over here."

I whipped my head up to see Bella kneeling beside a woman slumped down in a chair. Ms. Denali, one of the other Patient Registration receptionists, and I both hurried over. "What do you need?" I asked.

Bella spoke quickly and clearly. "This woman is diabetic; we were talking about it the other day. I think she's having some kind of episode. Mr. Cullen, call 911, Tanya, let security know."

We both moved quickly on her order as Bella gently shook the woman's shoulder. "Ma'am, are you all right?"

The woman blinked woozily, her eyes barely focusing on Bella. I hastily dialed 911, waiting impatiently for someone to answer. When they finally did, I barked out the information they needed, remaining on the line until they'd dispatched someone.

Bella looked the patient in the eye. "Ma'am, we called 911, they're going to be here soon, but I need you to let me know if there's anything we can do for you until they get here."

"I think my sugar's off." She coughed weakly. "I just need something to eat."

Thankfully, Tanya had had the good sense to grab a passing nurse, and they both hurried over just as the woman spoke. "Juice, I need some juice," the woman said faintly.

Bella turned to the nurse and filled her in on the situation, and the woman nodded.

"Let me go grab some juice. If she drinks just a little, it should help stabilize her until the paramedics are here."

"Wait, I have some in my bag." Bella dug through her lunch bag, pulling out a small, unopened bottle of orange juice.

Tanya ran and got a straw, and I watched in amazement as the woman responded to the small sips she took. The color in her cheeks and the brightness in her eyes began to return. Security arrived just moments later, as did the paramedics. The entire time, Bella sat beside the woman, rubbing her back soothingly, and talking quietly with her. Bella's presence seemed to calm and steady the woman, despite the fact that I knew her heart had to be racing. Working for a hospital, there were any number of crises that happened here on a regular basis, but Bella had dealt with the situation with both professionalism and a kindness I rarely saw.

She reassured the woman one last time as the paramedics helped move her onto a stretcher and she squeezed the woman's hand before they wheeled her away. "It'll be okay," Bella said. "You're in great hands."

We were both silent for a moment as the paramedics disappeared out the door. I sighed and turned to Bella once they'd loaded her in the ambulance. "Thank you for being so aware of what was going on. I didn't even see the woman."

Bella smiled and shrugged. "She comes in often for routine blood work, so we've talked to each other quite a bit. She usually says hi to me, and when she didn't even respond, I knew something had to be wrong."

"Well, your quick thinking may have saved her life."

Bella looked away, as if embarrassed. "It's nothing anyone else here wouldn't have done."

"That may be," I said reluctantly, not sure if that was true at all. "But I've rarely seen a crisis handled so calmly and professionally."

"Thank you, sir. It's ... well, do you remember Dr. Westin?"

"Yes." I did indeed. He was one of the top cardiothoracic surgeons in the hospital, and he had died just a few months prior.

"I ... I was there when the paramedics came for him."

He had died in our medical building. He was a brilliant surgeon, but shitty at caring for himself. He was extremely overweight and had a history of heart problems. He'd collapsed during a meeting and although the paramedics had revived him temporarily, it was only to put him on a ventilator long enough for his family to say goodbye to him. The whole hospital had been left reeling after he died.

I nodded and studied her face, really noticing it for the first time. Her skin was fair and blemish-free, her cheeks and lips pink. Thick dark lashes surrounded her brown eyes and her wavy hair was a dark brown, falling just below her shoulders. She was beautiful. Not just young and pretty, but someone quite extraordinary.

Her face grew sad as she continued. "I was just finishing lunch and passed by the conference room when I heard a commotion. Someone yelled to call 911 and I went in the room to see if they needed help. Once they told me what was going on, I called. I was so nervous, I'd never really dealt with something like that before."

"I'm sure that must have been frightening."

She nodded. "He was turning blue and his eyes were open, just staring ..."

She whispered the words and I saw her shiver. It must have been a horrible experience for her.

"Did you talk to someone about it? There's the free employee counseling service here at the hospital," I said, concerned about her.

She shook her head and seemed to snap out of her daze. "No, I'm okay, really. It was difficult, but I'm fine. We've had a few crises since, an older gentleman slipped on the tile in the lobby and fell, and we had to call the paramedics for that. But thankfully, things like this don't happen often. I can't really say I'm used to it, but at least I don't panic anymore."

"Well, that woman is extremely lucky to have had you here today," I told her, my eyes locked on hers. She smiled at me, looking a little bashful and I was so thoroughly wrapped up in her, I didn't notice anyone approach us.

"Ready to go?" I turned to see Jim, the V.P. of Operations, standing beside me.

I cleared my throat, hoping he hadn't noticed the strange moment with Bella. "Yes, in just a moment. First, I'd like to introduce you to one of the employees in my department. Jim, this is Bella Swan, she works here in Patient Registration."

"Nice to meet you." His voice was cordial, but a little dismissive.

"Nice to meet you, too, sir," Bella said, holding out her hand. He shook it, but gave me a slightly bewildered look as if he couldn't figure out why I was introducing them. He was a decent guy, and he ran the hospital well, but I knew there was no way he would remember her, unless I told him about what she did. It couldn't hurt for her to get a little recognition from the higher ups. She deserved it.

"Thank you again for what you did, Miss Swan. The hospital really could use more employees like you."

"Thank you, Mr. Cullen. I appreciate you saying that. I should head to my desk now; I'm actually late to start my shift." She glanced at me apologetically.

I heard Jim impatiently clear his throat and I hastily answered. "CC me on an email you send to your supervisor, I'd be happy to confirm why you clocked in late."

"Thank you, sir." She hurried away and I caught myself staring at her as she gathered up her things and walked away.

"What was that about, Edward?" Jim asked me. I shook myself out of my stupor and turned to him.

"We had quite a morning around here. I think you'd be really pleased to know how well Miss Swan dealt with the crisis though."

As we walked out to his car and headed to the meeting, I filled him in on what had happened. He was suitably impressed and, truth be told, so was I. Only, in my case, I found myself thinking about more than just her professional demeanor and calm under pressure. Instead, I found my thoughts wandering during the meeting, thinking about the way her warm, wet mouth might feel surrounding my cock, and if she'd mind if I wrapped her long hair around my hand as I thrust into her.

Feeling guilty for my fantasies about Bella, I went home that night and found myself comparing her to Heidi. Truth be told, there was little comparison; Bella seemed to outshine Heidi in every way. Maggie was at a friend's house for dinner, and it was just Heidi and I for once. I stared at the woman across the dinner table from me, watching her as she checked something on her phone, the too smooth expanse of her forehead belying the otherwise puzzled expression on her face. I realized with some surprise that she looked like she'd gotten Botox injections done, and I hadn't even noticed. The woman I was married to was a complete and utter stranger. Not for the first time, I wondered why the hell I was still with her.

She must have noticed me staring at her because she lifted her head. "What?"

"Did you get Botox?"

She self-consciously put her hand to her forehead. "You just now noticed?"

"How long has it been?"

She shrugged. "Six weeks, maybe."

I put down my fork and looked at her. "Why are we doing this, Heidi?"

"Doing what?"

"Why are we still married? What the hell is the point anymore? We don't even know each other."

She sighed and rolled her eyes, taking a sip of her wine. "We've been over this before, Edward. It's better for Maggie if we stay together. Besides, how would it look if we divorced? I have no desire to add divorcée to my resume."

"Christ, Heidi, this isn't your resume. It's our marriage. Our life. Are you telling me you're happy like this?"

"Personal happiness means very little to me, Edward. Our marriage is advantageous, that's enough."

I gritted my teeth and stood up, angrily cleaning up the kitchen. Heidi disappeared into her office and although I tried to control my temper, I found myself slamming cupboard doors and crashing plates down. The hardly-touched food on Heidi's plate irritated me, even though it was something she'd done for years. Her rigid dieting was nothing new, but I suddenly found myself sick of it. Sick of all her little rules and the way she never seemed to feel anything. If I hadn't seen her give birth to Maggie with my own eyes, I would have sworn Heidi was a goddamn robot. I braced myself against the counter, furious with her and with myself. This was ridiculous; I was miserable, and although it might not have bothered Heidi, it bothered me.

That night I lie awake staring at the ceiling and, for the first time, felt grateful that Heidi slept in another room. Ostensibly, it was because she was a light sleeper, but we both knew it was far more than that. Maggie never commented on the fact that her parents didn't share a bedroom, but I had to wonder what kind of example were we setting for her? She was fourteen, and I was in no hurry to see my little girl grow up, but when she did, what kind of relationship would she look for? My parents, Edward Sr. and Elizabeth and my brother, Carlisle, and his wife, Esme, both had close, loving relationships. But we were her parents. We were who she was supposed to want to emulate. Were we doing her more harm than good by staying together? I didn't like the idea of getting divorced either, but it had to be better than what we were doing now.

It was with those thoughts that I finally rolled over and feel asleep. It wasn't Heidi's cool, dispassionate, blue gaze that I thought of as I drifted off, but Bella's warm, soft, brown one.

What would it be like to be with a woman like that? There were so many reasons she was untouchable, not the least of which was the fact that I was her supervisor. And yet, I couldn't help but let myself fantasize about her warm body wrapped around mine. More than anything, I was damn tired of sleeping alone.

**~BtBR~**

I spent the next few weeks utterly distracted by Bella Swan. I found myself lingering in the lobby to catch a glimpse of her, going out of my way to speak with her, and fantasizing about her incredible body. Heidi was beautiful, in the rail-thin, exceptionally polished way that many of the women in our social circle were. But the more I noticed it, the more I hated it. Bella seemed softer, more real. I doubted she spent three hundred dollars on haircuts and thousands on the clothes she wore.

Sometimes, little curls of hair escaped the loose buns she often wore, and I always had the overwhelming urge to wrap one around my finger. She was beautiful, and it was clear she took care of herself and her appearance, but she didn't look artificial. She didn't look so polished she couldn't be touched. I had the fleeting thought that she looked like the kind of woman that wasn't afraid to get dirty. I then spent the next hour in my office not getting a damn thing done, as I imagined all of the ways I might get dirty with Bella Swan.

It wasn't until I pulled up her HR file that my fantasies took a nose dive. First of all, though I had the ability to access her file, I didn't have a justifiable reason to do so. And for another, she was only twenty years old-six years older than my fourteen-year-old daughter. Christ, I am a pervert, I thought. Bella had only been an adult for two years. I shuddered at the thought, backing away from the desk as if the information about Bella would somehow disappear that way. But the harder I tried to stop thinking about it, the more it seemed to invade my mind.

There were so many reasons it was wrong of me to be thinking about her in any way that was less than professional. If I so much as looked at her funny, I could be slapped with a sexual harassment suit. Not to mention the fact that I was married. No matter how much of a joke my marriage to Heidi was, I took my vows seriously. Heidi might not have respected them, but I did.

At a leadership conference in Philadelphia just a few weeks later, I was given ample opportunity to forget all about my marriage vows and indulge in something on the side. Although she was discreet, one of the other conference attendees made her interest in me more than clear. In the lobby, late one evening after I made my way out of the hotel bar, she stopped me.

"Edward?" she said in a low, husky voice.

"Hmm?" I lifted my head from where I'd been looking at an email on my phone as I waited for the elevator. She smiled slowly, and her expression was almost predatory. She was a stunning woman, and I had to admit I'd noticed her a few times in the conference lectures we were attending.

"Yes, how can I help you, Leah?"

She didn't respond until the elevator arrived and we both stepped inside. "We have four more days of the conference and I don't know about you, but the king-size beds in the rooms get awfully lonely. I'd be happy to keep you company in yours until Friday," she said huskily. "I think it would be a mutually beneficial agreement."

I gulped, a little shocked at her brazenness, and a little turned on by it, too. For one brief second, I was tempted. But a picture of Maggie flashed through my head and I shook my head. "I can't. I'm married. I have a family."

She shrugged and waggled her left ring finger at me, the large diamond there glittering in the bright lights. "So am I. No one needs to know. It can be our dirty little secret for the week. No romance, no entanglements, just two people satisfying a need."

She stepped forward and grazed her hand across the front of my pants. "What do you say, Edward? I bet I could fulfill every kinky little fantasy you've ever had."

"I don't cheat," I said firmly. "You're beautiful, and very, very tempting, but I have not, nor will I ever, cheat on my wife."

The elevator stopped on my floor, and I stepped out gratefully. Her expression of disappointment quickly became one of cool indifference. "Your loss. Hope your wife appreciates you keeping it in your pants."

The elevator doors closed and I shook my head ruefully. Hardly. Truth be told, as long as I was discreet Heidi probably wouldn't have cared. It was only my personal moral principles that kept me from caving. The following morning when I woke up hard and lonely, I wondered what exactly my principles were giving me. They sure weren't relieving either of the aches I had.

As the next two days of the conference passed, I felt sicker and sicker. Only it wasn't regret at a missed opportunity, or disappointment in myself for being tempted. It was the flu.

Chills, fever, and a horrible body ache made me unable to attend the rest of the sessions and, longing for my own bed, I flew home. I was bone-tired and ready to collapse in my bed when I reached the house. It was mid-day, Maggie was at school and Heidi was at work, and when I slowly dragged myself up the stairs, I was surprised to hear voices. Thinking Heidi might have left the television on, I peered in the door to the bedroom she slept in and was greeted by the sight of Felix fucking my wife.

I should have been angry, should have been enraged at the sight of his dick disappearing inside her, when it had been years since Heidi and I had been intimate. Yet, I felt nothing. Not a shred of anger, surprise, or even disappointment. There was none of the betrayal I'd felt when I'd caught her fucking some other guy in her apartment in Chicago, just a few years after Maggie was born.

I felt nothing but the tiniest shred of regret that I hadn't taken Leah up on her tempting offer. But, I knew myself. No matter how many times Heidi betrayed our wedding vows, I couldn't do it. I'd never be able to live with the guilt.

I hoarsely told Felix to get the fuck out of my house, and informed Heidi that we were over. Even as I watched her cry, plead, and threaten, I was thinking about the one person I shouldn't have been. I pulled the final brick holding the foundation of my marriage in place, and yet all I could think of was Bella.

A dark part of me accepted the fact that if Bella had been the one in the elevator, my answer wouldn't have been no. Principles be damned, if she offered herself, I wasn't sure there was a thing in the world that would stop me from taking the opportunity to be with her.

* * *

**Notes: **What did you think of Edward's POV? I kind of want to hug him, and punch Heidi in the nose.

Kherisma is my writing partner, validation beta and most importantly, my friend. She wrote a lovely little one-shot and posted it on Twilighted. Please go read it! It's the perfect blend of sweet, funny, and hot. And there's just a bit of angst to keep things interesting.

"Three Simple Words" Summary: A warm summer night, a lapse in judgment, and a hot distraction. Three little words have the power to move mountains, but do they have the power to fix a love gone wrong?

www*twilighted*net/viewstory*php?sid=16716

Feel free to stop by to chat or look for teasers in the following places:

Facebook: www*facebook*com/DiscordiaWriter

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	9. Chapter 9 - The Terrace

**Notes: **Huge thanks to the team of ladies who are working on this story; my pre-reader: Deb Arrington, my beta, Alice's White Rabbit, and my Validation beta, Kherisma. They are amazing.

After the last chapter, I definitely know just how much you dislike Heidi! Trust me, Bella feels the same way!

* * *

**Chapter 9 – The Terrace**

I spent Sunday and Monday evenings with my head buried in homework. Only a few weeks into the semester and I was already swamped with assignments. Used to spending my weekends focused on school, I'd spent the last two with Edward and I was behind. When I finally went to bed Monday night, I wondered how I was going to juggle working full-time, school part-time, and Edward. _Just another semester_, I reminded myself. _And isn't Edward worth it?_

On Tuesday morning, a deliveryman walked up to my desk with a beautiful, large bouquet of flowers in every shade of blue. They ranged from soft periwinkle to a deep, dark midnight. They were in a beautiful, glass vase that was cobalt blue and I couldn't help but sigh in envy. They were stunning.

"Can I help you?" I asked. It wasn't unusual for delivery people to stop at our desks when they were delivering flowers for employees, and with the hundreds of people who worked in the building, it was always someone's birthday or anniversary. We had someone bringing flowers on a daily basis, but none had ever been as gorgeous.

"Are you Bella Swan?" he asked.

"Yes." My heart sped up.

"These are for you." The delivery guy thrust them at me, and I took them automatically. He was cute, roughly my age, and he gave me a flirtatious grin. "Looks like you have quite the admirer. It's not too often that we deliver stuff like this."

I blinked in surprise, utterly shocked that they were for me. "Yeah, wow, these are gorgeous."

"You need to sign for them." I gingerly placed the bouquet on my desk and reached for the clipboard he offered me. I scribbled a signature and before he turned away, he gave me a wink.

"You know; if things with your admirer don't work out, let me know."

Flabbergasted by both the flowers and the flirty delivery guy, I reached for the tiny envelope nestled between the flowers and opened it. I slipped out the note that was inside and read it.

_I can't take you out on a date, yet, but the flowers are a small token of my affection. I look forward to a time I can take you out._

_-A_

Edward and I had agreed on a cover story in case anyone asked me if I was dating anyone. I had been sort of surprised by his insistence that we needed one, but it made more sense now. The plan was to tell people I was dating a guy in Seattle, and that my friend, Alice, had introduced us. The 'A' stood for Anthony, Edward's middle name. He was in my phone the same way. I hated the subterfuge, but he had a point. Insisting that I wasn't dating anyone was only going to arouse suspicion. And a conveniently faraway guy that no one could ever hope to meet would throw off anyone who was curious.

I smiled at the card and looked up to see Tanya, Amber, Liz, and Shelly all staring at me. The office was nearly empty. There were a few people waiting for the lab, and they'd already been registered. Clearly, I had become the person of interest.

Tanya stood up gracefully from her chair and walked over to me. Her smile was sweet, but I could see the gleam in her eyes. "Have you been holding out on me, Bella?"

"Uhm. Maybe?" I winced, hating that I had to lie to her about all of this. Edward and I couldn't risk it though. We had too much at stake.

"Hand it over." She waggled her fingers at me until I handed over the card. She read it and arched an eyebrow at me. "Spill. Who is he?"

I fingered the petal of an iris, avoiding meeting her eye. "Uh, this guy, Anthony. He's a friend of Alice's. Lives in Seattle. We've been talking for a few weeks. He's … he's a nice guy. I like him a lot."

The first part might have been fabricated, but the last part wasn't at all. I was very aware of the three other women listening in on our conversation.

"Do you have a picture?"

"No," I said truthfully. I didn't have a single picture of Edward.

"Is he hot?"

I laughed and rolled my eyes at Tanya. "Yes. I'll tell you more at lunch. Come on, we should get back to work."

She pouted but relented. Thankfully, a customer came in and I was able to return to work. About twenty minutes later, I managed to slip away long enough to text Edward a thank you, and he seemed pleased that I liked the flowers. I did my best to deflect Tanya as much as possible during our lunch break, only giving her as much information as I had to, and trying to be as honest as possible without giving away something incriminating.

That night before I left, gathering up my things so I could head out, I overheard Liz and Amber talking.

"Flowers are such a waste of money. I wouldn't even want them," Amber said scornfully. "I'd expect jewelry."

_And that's because you're a gold-digging bitch,_ I thought, but I managed to bite my tongue. Besides, it was clear it was just sour grapes. Amber was jealous of me.

Liz glanced over at me and I turned away, pretending to search for my keys in my bag. "My ex only ever sent flowers when he wanted something. Men are assholes. He's just sending them to her so she'll sleep with him."

She was speaking loud enough that I knew I was supposed to overhear, but I chose to ignore her and bit my lip to stifle the urge to laugh. Well, Edward had certainly succeeded in that regard and it hadn't even taken a single flower. No, I suspected it was more of an apology for the disagreement we'd had the weekend before, and because he felt guilty that he couldn't take me out on a date. I wasn't going to argue, they were gorgeous. Other than limp corsages at school dances and a small bouquet of carnations from my ex, freshman year of college, I'd never had a guy send me flowers before.

The bouquet ended up on the end table in my living room, prominently displayed so I could see them from just about everywhere in the apartment. I was lounging on the couch after dinner, trying to focus on reading for class but mostly staring at the flowers, when Edward called.

"They're gorgeous," I blurted out when I answered.

He chuckled. "You like them?"

"I love them," I said firmly. "But you didn't have to send them."

"It's the least I can do, under the circumstances. This isn't just sex to me, Bella."

"I know." I toyed with the hem of my shirt. "I do. Really, I've never thought it was."

He sighed. "It's just frustrating to have all of these things I'd like to do for you only to not be able."

"I understand, and I do appreciate it but don't feel like you have to take me out on dates or buy me things to make me happy, Edward."

"But it wouldn't make you _unhappy_ if I did nice things for you, would it?"

"No." I laughed. "It wouldn't."

"Good," he said decisively.

We talked for a few hours before I said goodnight and took one last long look at the flowers before I went bed.

**~BtBR~**

Edward had been out of the building for meetings most of the day Monday, but he seemed to be everywhere on Tuesday. In the morning, I caught sight of him in the lobby, talking and laughing with Jasper Whitlock and Jim Henthorn, the VP of Operations, as I walked in. I tried not to stare but it wasn't easy. In a dark blue suit, crisp white shirt, and a silver and blue tie Edward looked amazing, and I really wanted to be able to walk over and kiss him. I swallowed hard and looked away but not before our eyes met briefly. Fuck, not acting on my feelings was going to be difficult.

I tried to go about my morning as usual, but apparently, the VPs were spending a few hours walking around the building. I had no idea why. I'd have to ask Edward about it later, but it meant that he passed by me a number of times throughout the morning. Thankfully, I was busy enough that I didn't have time to stare out the door at him, but it was increasingly difficult to see him and not acknowledge him in some way. I had no idea how I was going to make it another few months until my graduation in December.

Eventually, they all disappeared into the administration office and I was able to better focus on work. Tanya and I ate our lunch in the break room, and although I found my eyes wandering to the countertop where Edward had fucked me, she didn't seem to notice.

"So, how are things with Bryan?" I asked her, hoping to keep her distracted.

"Good, I guess. I'm still sick of the fact that he has zero time for me, but I'm trying to be patient. Dinner last week was good, but it sucks that we basically don't leave my apartment when we're together. I mean, if we were spending it all in bed, it might not be so bad, but he's studying, and I'm trying to keep myself occupied. I get it, but I'm sick of it, you know? It's better than not seeing him at all, but I can't wait for it to be over." She crumpled up the wrapping from her sandwich and tossed it in the trash.

I nodded sympathetically and wondered how long it would be before Edward and I went a little stir-crazy cooped up at his house all of the time, since we couldn't go out in public together. I had zero problems with the fact that we'd spent the last two weekends in bed, but that couldn't last forever.

"I'm surprised you gave up on Edward so easily," she commented quietly. My eyes flew to her in panic, wondering what the hell she was talking about.

"What?" I asked shakily.

"You gave up on Edward for this Anthony guy."

"Oh." I took a deep breath, trying to calm my racing heart. I glanced around the room before I spoke. "Well, it was clear that it was a really bad idea to pursue something with him."

"So, are you actually dating the guy in Seattle?"

"Well, I have plans to go there next weekend," I lied. "We'll see what happens then."

Tanya cackled. "Well, as much as you need to get laid, don't go too crazy. You still need to be able to walk on Monday. Wouldn't want him to break you."

"Tanya," I hissed, "you're terrible."

"What? Come on, you know it's true. It's been a while."

I shook my head at her, trying not to think about how pissed she was going to be when the truth eventually came out.

I saw Edward several times throughout the afternoon and when he brushed by me in the hallway at one point, I felt his fingers quickly clasp mine and release. My heart leapt in my throat and our eyes met. His were a brilliant shade of green and the corners of his mouth lifted. My pulse quickened and I had to fight back the urge to lean forward and kiss him. No one else was around, and it was so tempting, but I couldn't risk it. Neither of us spoke except to quietly say 'excuse me', and yet, I knew it was just as difficult for him. The look in his eyes was as plain as if he'd said it out loud.

He wanted to hold me just as much as I wanted to hold him.

That night we didn't talk on the phone; I had an evening class and he had plans with Maggie. Wednesday was slightly less frustrating than Tuesday had been, but only because I saw Edward less. It was the night we were open late and by six-thirty, the place was deserted. Nearly all of the offices in the building were closed, except for the Lab and Radiology. I hadn't seen Edward leave yet, though, and I idly wondered if he was sticking around to see me. After I put up the closed sign and logged off my computer, I went into the break room to get my lunch bag out of the refrigerator.

Once again, Edward was waiting there. I shifted, too aware of his presence. Our eyes met and he licked his lips. It was an unconscious movement, but the slow trail of his tongue across them made me flush, remembering the way it felt on my pussy. It was so much harder to stay away from him now that I knew how good it could be. The thought of waiting another three days to touch him seemed impossible.

"Edward," I said faintly.

He nodded at me. "Bella."

We were at least five feet away from each other and neither of us moved any closer. He reached for the York Peppermint Patties in the bowl on the table and I stifled a moan. I remembered the taste of it on his tongue as he kissed me. I felt my breathing grow shallow and quick, and I bit the inside of my cheek to keep myself from reaching for him.

Afraid I'd do something stupid, I walked over to the refrigerator and took my lunch bag out. When I turned around, Edward was standing right next to me. I froze in place and his hand reached out to graze my hip, his breath warm against my skin. His lips were just inches from my forehead. Immediately, I turned my head to see if anyone was going by in the hallway, but the door blocked us.

"Edward," I whispered. "We shouldn't …"

"I know. I do. I just had to be close to you for a moment," he said lowly. "I hate this."

"Me, too." My fingers reached out and he clutched them in his. Just the feel of his skin against mine eased a little of the desperation to be near him. Of course, it also made me want him that much more.

"I wish I could kiss you," he whispered.

I closed my eyes for a moment. "I do, too."

"Just a few more days," he said, and I wondered if he was reminding me, or himself.

"Thank you again for the flowers. I've never really been given flowers before, at least, not like that."

He smiled broadly. "I'm glad I could do that for you, then. Heidi never …" His voice trailed off and he frowned.

"Heidi never what?" I prompted him.

"I shouldn't keep comparing you two."

"I think it's probably inevitable to a certain extent," I reassured him. "What were you going to say?"

"I was going to say that she never really seemed to appreciate flowers. It was one of those things that was expected. I had to send her two dozen red, long-stemmed roses for our anniversary and Valentine's Day, and yet, she didn't care about the meaning. It was all about what everyone else thought about them. Then again, by the end, I was sending them because it was expected of me. There _was_ no meaning behind it. Pat had them on her agenda and she took care of it."

I smiled sadly. "That's … I don't know. I don't even have words for how sad that makes me."

"It was altogether different buying these flowers for you. For one thing, I did it personally. I enjoyed going to the florist and picking out something for you myself."

I opened my mouth to say speak, but the sound of a voice in the hallway made me bolt away from him. My heart hammering in my chest. I fumbled with an item on the counter, trying to pretend like I was doing something useful. Edward was still tucked behind the door and I glanced surreptitiously into the hallway to see one of the administrative assistants in the hallway, chatting on her phone. She barely even glanced at me, and I felt my knees go wobbly with relief the moment she passed.

Edward let out an audible exhale and, on shaky legs, I walked back over to him. "That was close," I said quietly.

He nodded. "I'm sorry."

"I know. We just—"

"—have to be more careful," he said, cutting me off and releasing a heavy sigh.

"Yes. I should go," I said reluctantly.

"You're coming over this weekend, right?" he asked.

"I'll be there," I promised. _As if I could stay away. _

He smiled at me and glanced around before quickly leaning in to brush his lips against mine. "To hold me over until then," he said, his voice low and needy.

He moved away from me swiftly, and was gone before I could even reply.

**~BtBR~**

The next two days seemed to drag despite the classwork I should have been focusing on. Too often, I found myself staring dreamily into space, thinking about Edward. His smile, his touch, the way he smelled.

I was anxious and eager by Friday and the day couldn't end fast enough. Friday afternoons were always slow; many offices closed at noon, and the lab closed at three p.m. Hardly anyone was around by the time I finished my shift at five. Edward had left about an hour earlier, with a wink for me when no one else was looking. It sent a jolt of arousal through me, and I found myself squirming in my chair, eager to get to his house. I'd worn a fitted, black pencil dress, with a cream-colored, cashmere cardigan over top to make it a little more appropriate for work. It was a thrift store find of mine, and I was hopeful that Edward would like the outfit. Or, at least like taking it off me tonight.

I was humming with anticipation by the time I got to his house, and the moment he opened the door, I threw myself at him, kissing him deeply. To my surprise, after a moment, he pulled away. I gripped the front of his shirt and tried to drag him back to me. He laughed and shook his head. "Come here, I have a surprise for you."

I pouted. "Can't we go up to your bedroom first?"

He grinned at me. "No. That's for after."

"After what?"

"After the surprise."

I gave him a puzzled look. "Well, what's the surprise, then?"

"Follow me." I dropped my overnight bag and purse onto the bench by the door and trailed after him as we walked through the house hand-in-hand. He stopped at the doors that led out into the backyard. "Close your eyes."

I obediently closed them and I heard him open the door. A waft of warm, Indian summer air blew over me and I could hear soft music playing. I smiled. I had no idea what Edward had planned for me, but it didn't matter. Whatever it was, I was sure I would love it.

He stepped behind me, his hands coming to rest on my hips. He gently nudged me forward and I carefully stepped out the door. "Open them," he instructed, leaning in to speak softly in my ear.

I opened my eyes to see a beautiful, stone terrace washed in the golden light of the setting sun. The property around the house was ringed with huge old trees, and the light peeked through them, lending a romantic air to everything. There was a small table covered in a crisp, white tablecloth with chairs on either side of it. Candles flickered in small glass votive holders that were strewn across the patio stones and surrounded a small bouquet of white flowers on the table. It was set with two place settings of fine china and a bottle of wine chilled in an ice bucket on a stand beside the table.

Stunned, my hand flew to my mouth as I took it all in. "Edward," I whispered.

"I couldn't take you out to dinner, so I brought dinner to us."

I swallowed hard, utterly overwhelmed by what he'd done. I turned and gazed up at him. "It's incredible. I can't believe you did this. No one has ever—" my voice hitched "—Ever done anything even close to this for me."

"I've never done this for anyone else, either," he whispered, cradling my face in his hands. "You make me want to indulge in every romantic idea that crosses my mind."

I reached up and wrapped my hand around the base of his head, pulling his lips down to mine. "This is amazing. Thank you."

He gave me a pleased smile and took my hand, leading me over to the table. He pulled out the chair for me and uncorked the bottle of white wine, pouring some in the glass in front of me. "I'll be right back."

I sipped the wine while he disappeared into the house, still utterly stunned by the romantic gesture he'd made. I closed my eyes for a moment, letting the feeling soak in. To think that just weeks before I'd been fantasizing about Edward, never daring to dream that I'd ever actually get a chance to touch him, much less be sitting down to a dinner like this with him.

Soft music filled the space and I glanced up at the house. Edward came out a moment later, carrying a small appetizer plate. We ate our meal leisurely, Edward disappearing into the kitchen for a few moments to retrieve each course. The food was apparently from his favorite local restaurant, and every bite of it was perfect. The wine was incredible as well, but it was Edward that dazzled me. The rest were just beautiful trappings. The amazing part was that it actually felt like we _were_ on a date.

It was perfect.

We talked and we laughed effortlessly, getting to know each other without worries about our careers weighing us down. I was flushed and happy by the time Edward brought out dessert. He only brought out one fork for the single slice of rich, flourless chocolate cake. He took my hand and tugged me down onto his lap, somehow managing to hold me close, balance the plate, and feed me bites of the cake.

It was sensual to have him slip the fork into my mouth but the rich taste of chocolate was even better from his lips. After the cake was gone, we sat there for a while, kissing slowly, Edward's arms encircling me. The sun had slipped below the horizon by the time we'd finished dinner and the patio was now lit by the flickering candles.

He gently nudged me to my feet and stood up, tugging me away from the table and into his arms again. I felt light-headed from the wine and the way he drew me closer to sway with him. One arm went up around his neck and the other clasped his hand, pressing against the soft fabric of his dress shirt. He had removed his jacket but was still wearing his shirt and tie. The cuffs of the shirt were rolled up his forearms and my eyes drifted closed at the heady smell of his cologne. I relaxed against him as we slowly danced, my head resting against his shoulder. His grip tightened momentarily and he pressed a lingering kiss to the top of my head.

The slow, sensual sway of our bodies made me ache and I felt like anything could set me off by the time he slowly stopped moving. His voice was low and husky. "Go upstairs and wait for me in bed. I'll be up in a few minutes."

With a last lingering brush of my lips against his, I complied, stopping only to pick up my bag.

I had no idea how much longer it was until he actually came up, although, it wasn't terribly long. I brushed my teeth and changed into a champagne-colored slip trimmed in black lace. I heard Edward ascend the stairs and saw him pause in the doorway a moment before stepping in and shutting it behind him.

My voice was low and appreciative. "Thank you for tonight, Edward. That was by far the best date I've ever gone on."

He gave me a slow, satisfied smile.

"Any time," he said simply. And I knew he meant it.

When he moved to the bed I shifted, but he covered my body with his, still fully clothed. The feel of his clothes brushing my bare skin felt good. His hands sliding underneath the fabric of my silk slip felt even better, and when his mouth met mine, I kissed him deeply. Our clothes slowly disappeared and he worshiped me with his mouth before sliding into me. I came with a dizzying, stunning climax and we fell asleep still joined together.

**~BtBR~**

The morning after our date, Edward and I spent more time sharing deep conversation interspersed with pleasuring each other. I learned the ridiculous, small things, like the fact that Edward absolutely loathed peas. And the bigger ones, like the fact that he had been deeply lonely after so many years with Heidi. He was continually surprised by my willingness to be affectionate. He seemed to crave the skin-to-skin contact, and he wasn't hesitant at all to touch and caress me. If I'd have guessed, I would have assumed that he was probably reserved and not very demonstrative. He was the complete opposite.

He loved when I raked my nails through his hair and rubbed his back. He always had his hands on me in some way or another. And the man was, hands down, the best lover I'd ever had when it came to oral sex. He would go down on me until his tongue and jaw had to be aching, but he never stopped until I asked him to. His lips, fingers, and tongue would bring me to the edge and back, over and over, until I begged him to let me come. A few guys I'd been with in the past were hesitant and tentative, but not Edward. I wasn't shy about directing him if need be, but it rarely took more than a whispered word or shift of my hips on the bed to get him to do what I needed. And soon, he almost seemed to know what I needed better than I did.

* * *

**Notes: **How swoon-worthy were the flowers and date?

And do you think it was smart of them to come up with a cover story for Bella involving a guy in Seattle, or is that just going to create more problems for them in the long run?

Feel free to stop by to chat or look for teasers in the following places:

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	10. Chapter 10 - Edward's Library

**Notes: **I am sorry I couldn't get this chapter to you on Tuesday. You know how hard I try to stick to the posting schedule. A few issues cropped up with it, and I decided to take the extra time to go over it and get it right.

Hugs and kisses to my pre-readers: Deb Arrington, Mandi Niko, and Jules Twifanawesomesox, my beta, Alice's White Rabbit, and my Validation beta, Kherisma. I appreciate all of their hard work on this story so much.

* * *

**Chapter 10 – Edward's Library**

As much I wanted to focus on nothing but Edward, the pile of work for my classes had been mounting, despite my best efforts to keep up with them during the week. On Saturday afternoon, I reluctantly broached the subject with Edward. "I don't want to go home tonight, but I think maybe I should." He gave me a puzzled look and I hastily explained, "I am so behind with class work."

"Did you bring it with you?" he asked.

I nodded. "Yeah, it's in my car."

"You can use my library while I do some things for work," he offered. "Of course, you can go home if you need to, but I'd love it if you stayed."

I willingly agreed, no more eager to leave than he was to have me go. Twenty minutes later, we both had our work spread out on desks in the library. It was a wood-paneled room, lined with bookshelves and furnished with two desks. One was large, heavy, and masculine. Edward's sleek, expensive laptop seemed incongruous on it. The second desk was smaller and daintier. According to him, the two desks had belonged to his parents when they lived here.

I set up my own laptop and schoolwork on the small desk and we worked silently for a while. I found my eyes roaming the space, liking the bones of the house but noticing how sparse and empty the room seemed, much like the rest of the place. The only areas that looked fully furnished were the shelves of books and the area around his desk. We both worked steadily for a few hours, but after that, my mind began to wander. I often found that when I glanced up, he was staring at me. After a while, I threw down my pen on the pad of paper I'd been writing on and sighed. I stretched, noticing the way his eyes lingered on my body while I eased the kink in my back. I stood up and walked slowly over to his desk. His eyes were eager when I sat back against the edge of it, echoing the position I'd been in when we were in his office at work.

Like before, his hands moved to my thighs, and I bit back a moan at the feeling of his thumbs sliding upward toward my pussy. I had been planning to take a quick break and kiss Edward for a few minutes; he apparently had something else in mind. It didn't take much to convince me that he had the right idea.

I placed my palm on his chest and gently pushed him back into the desk chair. When I stood up and walked around the desk, he gave me a puzzled look, but didn't say anything as I went to the door and clicked the lock into place. The look of confusion quickly melted into one of understanding. I wanted to be sure that we weren't going to be interrupted.

I sauntered back over to him, really wishing I was dressed in something sexier than jeans and a sweater. I leaned forward and kissed him, my hands braced on the arms of his desk chair. The kiss was teasing, hungry. I could feel the light rasp of his stubble against my chin and cheeks, and I inhaled the clean scent of his freshly washed skin. The shower we'd taken that morning had been filled with teasing touches on slick, slippery skin.

"Do you want me, Edward?" I murmured.

His voice was a low, husky rasp. "You know I do."

I trailed my hand down his chest, caressing the firm muscles under the thin fabric of his button-down shirt and sweater. I could hear the soft, panting breaths that escaped his lips and feel the warm air against my own. I leaned in to kiss him again and let the side of my hand brush across his erection.

His lips parted when I dropped to my knees on the floor in front of him. My hands went to his strong thighs and I raked my nails down over them. His head hit the back of his chair, his eyes closing tightly. I teased him for a while, letting the anticipation build, my thumb stroking him through the fabric.

"I bet you've fantasized about this, haven't you?"

"You have no idea."

"Where?"

"Here. At the office. Bella, I've pictured it everywhere."

Pleased, I glanced down and the sound of the zipper lowering filled the quiet room.

I gently pulled his cock out and wrapped my hand around the base. His hand tentatively came to rest on the back of my head, his fingers gently tangling in my hair. I breathed hotly against him, watching him jerk in response and I slowly engulfed him in my mouth, sinking down over him. I squirmed; the floor was hard against my knees, but it was the tingle between my thighs that had me unable to remain still. I was mid-stroke when the shrill ring of a phone startled us both. I jerked back, and he flinched when my teeth grazed across him. I sat back and looked up at him. He seemed slightly dazed, blinking in shock when the cooler air hit the wet, warmth my mouth had left behind.

"Do you need to get that?" I asked.

He gave me an apologetic look. "Let me just see who it is."

"Sure." I sat back on my heels and he reached for the still-ringing phone. I knew who it was the moment he blanched and hastily tucked his rapidly-softening cock into his pants and zipped them.

"Maggie," he mouthed to me as he hit connect and brought the phone up to his mouth. I stood up and sat back against the edge of his desk. He was still visibly flustered, smoothing down his clothes as he answered.

"Hey, honey." His face softened, and he relaxed back against the chair. "Sure, shoot."

He reached forward, tangling his fingers with mine as he listened intently. "Tonight? Well, are Amy's parents going to be there?...Hmm. What did your mom say?" He paused. "Put her on the phone and let me talk to her."

God, this was surreal. The man that I was dating was talking to his daughter and ex-wife, just minutes after I'd been giving him a blow job. This was all going to take some getting used to. At least she hadn't barged in on us physically. I shuddered at the thought.

He spoke again. "Heidi? What are your thoughts on the party?"

Edward listened, took another moment to think, and then spoke. "I don't have a problem with her going to the party, but I'm not comfortable with her staying. I know Amy's parents will be there—thank you for checking on that—but I'm not okay with a co-ed sleepover. She can come home at one.…Sure, let me talk to her." He fell silent and frowned. "One-thirty at the latest and that's final." He sighed at the response. "Look, Maggie, I know you're disappointed, but we're not being unreasonable. You're allowed to go, provided you get back to your mother's house no later than one-thirty. You know the consequences if you get home late. And remember, no drinking, and no more than one other person in your car. Deal?" Even I could hear the sigh of frustration that came through the phone. "Have fun tonight. Love you, Mags."

After he disconnected the call, he tossed the phone on the desk beside me. He raked a hand through his hair and gave me an apologetic look. "Sorry."

I shrugged. "That's life. Or at least your life, I guess. It's all pretty new to me, but I'll get used to it eventually."

He gave me a hopeful smile. "I appreciate how understanding you are."

"I care about you, Edward. You're more to me than just some guy I'm sleeping with, okay? It's going to take some getting used to, but it'll be fine," I reassured him. "Besides, at least it was the phone this time."

He laughed heartily and I grinned back, loving the way the laughter lit up his face. His eyes were bright and his smile infectious. He tugged me onto his lap for a quick kiss. "You're right; it could have been a lot worse."

Neither of us was particularly inclined to continue with what we'd been doing before we were interrupted so we both worked for a while longer. It was a relief when I finally put away my textbook and typed the last paragraph of the essay I had due. I was so ready to be done with school.

**~BtBR~**

We ate an early dinner and curled up together on the couch in the living room. "Tell me more about Maggie," I said impulsively.

He looked at me in surprise. "You really want to know?"

"Yes. I want to be with you, and she's a huge part of your life."

He gave me a pleased smile. "Okay. Well, she's sixteen; she'll be seventeen next spring, April twelfth. She does well in school and she's planning to become a doctor. Apparently, she's like the rest of the family and is unable to resist the lure of the hospital."

I chuckled and he continued. "She's started taking advanced placement classes this year. A.P. Bio and History."

"Wow, she must be a very good student. Is she a sophomore or a junior?"

"Junior."

"What else is she into?"

"She likes horseback riding. She took lessons when she was younger, and she goes to horse camp for a couple of weeks in the summer. She's a pretty typical teenage girl, I think. She likes hanging out with her friends, going to the movies, and to the mall. I try to rein in her tendency to act spoiled, but Heidi doesn't make that part any easier."

He sighed and ran a hand across his face in frustration. Clearly that was an on-going issue they had.

"Does she date?"

He groaned. "There was a kid she was seeing last year, although they mostly just went out on group dates. He was kind of squirrely, but nice enough, I guess. With the drama only a sixteen-year-old can muster, they broke up before the summer. Thankfully, it's been quiet since. I'm dreading the next one. I'm going to have to try harder to frighten them off."

"Definitely," I agreed.

"She also plays intramural soccer. In fact, I coach her team. The season is over, but it will start again in the spring."

"Really?"

"Yes. I played in college and I was really happy that Maggie got so into it."

I let my eyes rake across him appreciatively. "Well, that explains the body."

He chuckled. "I do try to stay fit."

I slipped a hand under his sweater and tugged the button down loose from his waistband so I could feel the warmth of his skin. He groaned and shuddered when I lightly dragged my nails across the firm muscles of his stomach.

Before I could even react, he sat up, scooped me up in his arms, and tossed me over his shoulder. I shrieked in surprise and gasped when he took off through the house, jogging up the steps to his bedroom. He threw me down on the bed and I giggled as I bounced. He was barely even breathing hard as he crawled over me, his clothing disheveled and his hair a mess.

Seventeen-year age difference or not, there was nothing sexier than Edward manhandling me like that. I reached up for him and he playfully grabbed my hands and pinned them over my head before lowering his lips to mine.

At any age, Edward Cullen was a force to be reckoned with.

**~BtBR~**

On Sunday afternoon as I was packing my things to leave, Edward's phone rang. He had been lying on the bed, watching me gather my things. He slipped a hand into his pocket, glanced at the screen, and lifted it to show me. It was Maggie again. He looked at me apologetically for taking the call as he answered it. I shrugged, and threw my toiletries in the bag and zipped it shut before taking a seat on the bed beside him.

"Hey, Mags." He reached for my hand, idly grasping it and playing with my fingers as he listened. I could vaguely hear her muffled voice, but I couldn't make out the words. "I thought you finished that project … I know it's for school," he said patiently. "I just think you could have managed your time better."

He paused and got a contemplative look on his face. "Well, if Jess was out of town the last few days, I suppose there wasn't much you can do about that… Yeah, that's fine. You're going to stay with your mom tonight then?"

He gave me a pointed look and mouthed, "Stay tonight?" I gave him a shrug, not really sure exactly what was going on. He nodded and turned his attention to the phone again.

"Do you need anything for school tomorrow?" He paused again to let her answer. "Okay, I'll see you in half an hour then. Love you."

He hung up the phone and turned to me. "Well, it seems Maggie has a school project she needs to work on tonight with her friend, Jess. Jess lives closer to Heidi, so Maggie asked if she could stay at Heidi's tonight. I'll have the house to myself."

"You want me to stay?"

"Of course I do. I'd like to take advantage of any extra time I can get with you. Maggie's coming over in about half an hour to pick up her things for school tomorrow. Maybe you two could start off on better footing this time."

"I'd love to stay tonight but I do need to run home and take care of a few things. Plus, I need clothes for work tomorrow."

Edward nodded. "We'll skip the meeting with Maggie this time then. You run home and take care of what you need to do and we can have dinner when you get back."

"Sounds great."

I kissed him goodbye and headed home, glad that Edward and I would have another night together. I was already starting to hate leaving on Sunday afternoons.

**~BtBR~**

I lived in a small apartment not far from the hospital. It was in a large, generic complex. Nothing fancy, but I didn't mind it. It was a one bedroom, and the biggest draw was that I could afford to live there without having a roommate. As I opened the door and went inside, I wondered what Edward would think of it if he came over at some point. We had both agreed that until we could date publically, meeting at his house was the safer option since he lived on the outskirts of Portland, nowhere near the hospital.

I went through my mail, paid a few bills, and watered my plants. It didn't take long for me to toss my dirty laundry in the hamper, find an outfit for the following day, and be sure that I had everything for my class on Monday night.

By the time I got back to Edward's place, Maggie had come and gone and he was in the middle of making dinner. He greeted me with a kiss, told me to have a seat in the kitchen, and offered me a glass of wine. "White or red?"

"Um, I like both. Whatever you're having is fine."

"I think white will go best with the chicken I'm making."

"Sounds good then. Let me run my clothes upstairs for tomorrow."

I grabbed my overnight bag, the dress and sweater I had on a hanger, and went upstairs. I put my things in Edward's room and was halfway down the stairs when I heard the door open and Maggie's voice call out. "What is _she_ doing here? Her car is in my spot."

Edward's voice was stern. "Maggie, you're not a child and you need to stop acting like one. You can address Bella by her name, and in a respectful manner. I didn't raise you to be so rude."

I heard her aggravated sigh from across the house. "Fine, Bella. What is _Bella_ doing here?"

"We are having dinner together. You made other plans, so we're going to spend some time together."

"Didn't you already spend all weekend with her?" Her voice was petulant.

"I did. Bella's—" He hesitated "—important to me. I know it's a big adjustment now that your mom and I are divorced and seeing other people. It's probably confusing, and I know it'll take a while for you to get used to the idea."

"I just don't know why you and Mom couldn't have stayed together," she said peevishly.

Edward sighed. "Your mom and I weren't happy, Mags. Not for a long time. We tried to make it work for years, but it got to a point where we couldn't keep pretending anymore. If there was anything I could have done to make it work, I would have tried it. But there wasn't anything else I _could_ do. It's important to fight for a relationship, to try to make it work when you can. Giving up easily isn't the way to go but making yourself unhappy isn't either. Sometimes you need to know when to move forward. Your mom and I are a lot better apart."

"But what about me? What about _me_ being happy?"

Edward's spoke softly. "You know that your happiness is very important to me; it's why I tried so hard to make things work with your mom. But we had some problems that couldn't be fixed, and it wasn't good for you see us fight all of the time. I know it's hard to see now, but it's for the best for all of us."

"I just don't see why you have to date someone my age. It's gross."

Edward's voice was a little sharp. "Bella is _not_ your age. She's in her final semester of college, works full-time to supports herself. She's a twenty-two-year-old adult woman. I understand that the age difference between us makes you uncomfortable, but I think she's someone you might like—if you were willing to give her a chance."

"Ugh, fine," she huffed.

"I'm not going to push you two to spend time together. I've known Bella for quite a while, but we just started dating. It's very new to us, as well, and we all need time to adjust. I don't expect you to welcome Bella with open arms right away. But you being respectful to her, whether she's around or not, is non-negotiable. You're sixteen, Maggie. I need you to start acting like it."

"Okay," I heard her mumble. She sounded a bit more contrite, and I hoped that she was sincere. It was a difficult situation for both of them. I understood why she was so opposed to me; it had to be incredibly upsetting to see your parents get divorced and begin dating other people, but I knew this was stressful for Edward, too.

"Now, I think I've been fairly lenient lately; I let you stay out later at the party last night. But privileges like that end if you aren't able to act maturely. Understood?"

"Yes, Dad."

"Okay." He paused. "What are you doing back here, anyway?"

"I forgot my history book."

"Well, run up and get it, give me a hug, and go get to work on your project."

I heard her murmur of agreement and I hastily retreat to Edward's room. After I heard the house door slam, I ventured into the kitchen again. Edward was leaning against the counter, head down, one hand gripping the back of his neck. "I'm sorry," he said, without looking up.

"What are you sorry for?" I stepped closer to him and tugged at the hand he still had on his neck.

"I'm sorry that getting my daughter to treat you decently is such a struggle." He glanced up at me, his face drawn and exhausted.

"Hey, don't. It's going to take time."

"You heard our conversation, I assume?"

"Yes." I didn't see any point in denying that I'd listened.

"Good. I want you to know I'm trying."

"Oh, Edward, I do. And I know this has to be hard for her. Being sixteen is difficult enough, but to have your parents recently divorced and your dad dating someone close to your own age … well, I can only imagine how confusing and stressful it must be for her. I'm not upset with her or you. I appreciate that you're sticking up for me, but I know it's going to take a while before she's okay with it."

He pulled me close to him, so I was standing between his legs. "I appreciate your patience."

"You're worth it." I slipped my hands around his neck and gently squeezed the muscles. "You're really tense."

He sighed. "I am. Battling Maggie can be exhausting. It's hard not to want to just shout when I get frustrated by her brattiness. But I know she responds much better to reason. She acts more like an adult when I treat her like one. But some days, _I_ want to act like a child and vent my frustrations, too."

"Well, how about this? You come to me to vent when you're frustrated with Maggie."

A flicker of surprise crossed his face. "You mean it?"

"Of course I do. Isn't that what a relationship is? Supporting the other person when they need it?"

He chuckled, but it was mirthless-sounding. "I don't know. I've never been in a relationship like that before. Sure, Heidi and I discussed how we'd deal with Maggie, but I never felt like I could turn to her if I was frustrated."

"That's horrible, Edward."

"The sad thing is, I got used it. I got used to being utterly alone in the disciplinary decisions, even though I was married. Heidi never wanted to deal with it and found it easier just to avoid the confrontations all together. I got used to bottling up my feelings and doing it all without any support."

"I'm sorry," I said sincerely.

"Don't apologize. I'm happy, Bella. For the first time in over seventeen years, there's someone who cares how I'm feeling. You're the kind of woman Heidi could never be."

He kissed me before I could respond, and I pressed myself closer to him, feeling sick at the way Heidi had treated him. He deserved so much better.

The beeping of a timer startled both of us, and I stepped away from him.

"Looks like dinner is ready," he commented.

"What can I do to help?"

"Pour the wine, and I'll bring the food to the table."

When we were seated at the table with our dinner, I asked him something I'd been wondering for a while. "Where did you learn to cook?"

He shrugged. "I pretty much taught myself. Heidi refused to cook, and wanted to hire a housekeeper, but there was no way we could afford that when we were first starting out, so I learned. I have fond memories of family dinners growing up and I wanted Maggie to have that. At first I didn't cook much, just basics, but I'm decent now, I guess."

"More than decent." I gestured to the table and the herb-baked chicken, red skin potatoes, and salad. "This looks great."

"Thanks. I don't mind cooking. Once we had the money to hire a housekeeper, I didn't really like the idea. We had someone come in once a week to take care of some of the cleaning and landscaping, since we were both so busy, but I wanted Maggie to do chores and learn to take care of herself.

"I think that's great. A lot of parents probably would have just done what was easiest."

He smiled. "I had a great upbringing; I just wanted her to have that, as well."

"Tell me more about your family," I prompted him.

"Well, my parents are Edward Senior and Elizabeth Cullen. My father was a surgeon at Providence—Chief of Staff in his later years. He retired about three years back. My mother was head of the Women's League for the hospital, and did a lot of work for the Foundation with fundraising. My brother, Carlisle, is also a surgeon, and his wife, Esme, is a nurse."

"Wow, that's quite the family legacy. What if you'd wanted to go into something else?"

Edward shrugged. "It would have been fine. My father might have been a little disappointed, but he would have understood. Still, I think he was thrilled that I wanted to use my business degree at Providence."

"Are you close to your brother and his wife?"

"Carlisle and I weren't particularly close when we were growing up, he's nine years older; we didn't have a lot in common. But since I settled here in Portland and started working at the hospital, we've gotten closer. His wife is wonderful. You'd like her a lot."

"How did your family feel about Heidi?"

He scoffed. "Esme hated her; Carlisle was polite but distant. And my parents—for my sake and Maggie's—they tried to like her and include her but I know they were pleased when I told them we were getting a divorce."

"Did you tell them about her infidelity?"

"Not the first time, when she was in Chicago. But with Felix, yes. I didn't see any point in hiding it."

"Does Maggie know?"

He shook his head. "No. I really don't know if Heidi and I should tell her or not, but ultimately, there's little point. She was fourteen when it happened, old enough to know that Heidi and I weren't happy together but she didn't need to see her mother in that light. I tried very hard to be civil to Heidi during the separation and, for the most part, I was able to."

I nodded and he continued. "For one thing, I cared so little for her at that point that I wasn't even angry at what she did. She certainly dragged the divorce and custody issues out, but Maggie didn't need to see that either."

"I'll admit, I don't have a clue what it's like being a parent, but I'm incredibly impressed with everything you tried to do, Edward."

He smiled. "I appreciate that. Knowing that you support me makes it so much easier."

* * *

**Notes:** Maggie's back! And isn't she a winner? Edward tries so hard and until now, he's had no support. Thank goodness for Bella!

This story was nominated for Fic of the Week over on The Lemonade Stand. I am beyond thrilled. Voting is open until 6pm EST on Wednesday. If you're enjoying this story and feel inclined to, go vote!

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	11. Chapter 11 - The Boardroom

**Notes: **Huge thanks to my pre-readers: Deb Arrington, Mandi Niko, and Jules Twifanawesomesox; my beta: Alice's White Rabbit; and my Validation beta: Kherisma. They are truly incredible.

I do apologize in the delays in posting. This was a critical chapter that needed a bit more work than usual and with the holidays, I couldn't find the extra time for it. I am doing my very best to make sure that from here on out, there won't be any more delays. Thank you for your patience.

* * *

**Chapter 11: The Boardroom**

In the morning, I woke up with my head on Edward's chest. His body was warm and he was still sleeping. Our legs were tangled together and his arm was wrapped tightly around me. The other arm was flung across the bed and I realized that we were both far to one side. His side. Then I felt a funny little flutter in my stomach at the thought that Edward and I had designated sides of the bed now. In all of the fantasies I'd had about him in the time I worked at Providence, I had never once dreamed about this. Never imagined waking up in his arms. Never thought I'd be so happy with the quiet little moments we had together. Never thought of anything beyond sex.

But it was so much more than that.

I knew without a doubt that choosing to be with Edward, despite the obstacles, had been the right decision to make. I wondered what the last few weekends would have been like if I'd said no. Would I have lain in my bed, my hand between my thighs, imaging being with Edward again? Would I have fallen asleep wishing his arms were around me? Stupid questions, really. Of course I would have. The real question was if I would have caved. Or, if I would have seen him, day after day, week after week, and been able to stay away.

I smiled at the thought. It was impossible. There was no way I would have been able to do that. We had barely been seeing each other for three weeks and I already knew that Edward meant far more to me than any guy I'd ever dated before. Whatever difficult things we had to face, we would face them together.

I kissed Edward's chest and he mumbled sleepily before his arm tightened around me and he kissed the top of my head. His voice was hoarse and sleep-roughened. "Morning."

"Good morning."

"I'm glad you were able to stay. I like waking up with you in my arms." His thumb stroked my upper arm, sending a shiver through me.

"I like it, too."

It was early, the sky just starting to lighten, and, for a brief moment, I was half-tempted to call in sick to work. But that somehow seemed incredibly inappropriate when I wanted to spend it in bed with the vice president of my department. I chuckled to myself and, instead, I reluctantly dragged myself out of bed and into the shower. Edward joined me a little later, with wandering hands and slow, deep kisses. We took forever in the shower, and I was grateful the hot water lasted while he worshipped my body with his mouth and tongue. Then he pinned me to the wall and fucked me until I was weak-kneed and shaking, completely lost in pleasure.

We ate breakfast together and spent a few minutes drinking coffee quietly, Edward's hand on my thigh the entire time. It was the perfect way to start the day and I fleetingly wondered how often we'd be able to make it happen. Weekends were one thing, but it would be a very long time before it would be okay for me to stay over with Maggie here.

I left the house before Edward did—we thought it best to stagger our arrivals at work. When I took a seat at my desk to begin my workday, I could still remember the feel of him inside me. Thankfully, I was on the phone when Edward came in; I couldn't even acknowledge him without a stupid grin threatening to take over.

The next few hours passed uneventfully and I was lost in a haze of thinking when Heidi walked into the room. I felt the blood drain from my face at the sight of her. Just hours before, her ex-husband had been inside of me; fucking me in the shower. This gave new meaning to the phrase 'awkward as hell.'

She was as impeccably dressed as ever—her clothing and accessories head to toe designer. She was tall; her bone structure and the way she carried herself was elegant. But she was almost painfully thin, and she didn't look happy at all.

She walked over to my desk immediately, bypassing Tanya, who was also available. "I have some brochures for the upcoming hospital fundraiser. Could you be sure to display them prominently throughout the building?"

"I'd be happy to," I lied and pasted a fake smile on my face. Heidi had never been the warmest person I'd ever encountered and now that I knew him, she didn't seem at all right for Edward. She was accomplished and elegant, but there was no warmth to her. I couldn't picture them together and from what he'd described, they really _hadn't_ been together. It was a struggle to keep the venom from my voice and I had to bite my tongue not to go off on her for the way she'd treated Edward over the years. It was only worry about our careers that stopped me.

"Do let us know when you run out of flyers. It's important to have them available for anyone who is interested." Her blue eyes were sharp, calculating as she glanced at me, but something seemed slightly off about her features. I wondered if she'd had plastic surgery.

"Of course, Mrs. Cullen," I said automatically and then winced. I had no idea if she'd changed her name or not.

She gave me a cool, dismissive glance. "It's Ms. Stearns now."

She didn't elaborate, and I certainly didn't ask. The less attention she paid to me, the better. I took the flyers from her and looked down at them, unable to meet her cool gaze.

"It's Becca, right?"

"Excuse me?" I glanced up, meeting her eyes.

"Your name. It's Becca, isn't it?"

"No. Bella. Bella Swan."

"Oh, I must have been misinformed. Perhaps I was thinking of someone else in the hospital."

"Possibly," I said slowly. "There's a Rebecca Haverford in Admitting across the street. Although, I think she goes by Becky."

"Hmm." Her hard expression didn't waver and I felt a funny little shiver go up my spine.

She left without another word and I stared after her, slightly unsettled by the interaction, although I couldn't put my finger on exactly why I felt that way.

**~BtBR~**

Jane, the director for my department, called the next morning. My stomach clenched, my mind leaping wildly to the conclusion that someone had found out about Edward and I, and reported us. _What if Heidi knew something and had called Jane?_ I panicked.

"Bella?" she said briskly.

"Yes? How can help you?" I asked politely, my heart hammering in my chest.

"I need a favor from you. The hospital is partnering with Greater Northwest Cardiovascular. It will bring in new doctors, and is a bit of a merger of sorts. This afternoon, there will be a press conference to announce it, but before that, there are some official papers that need to be signed. Would you be willing to go to the boardroom and notarize them?"

"Uh, of course," I stammered.

"Good. Please be up there by 2:45 at the latest, stamp and seal ready, and bring at least two extra pens, just in case. And please, please be very careful when you check things over. This is a very important partnership for the hospital. It's crucial that it goes flawlessly."

"Absolutely. Thank you for the opportunity."

"Don't let me down."

I gulped nervously and hung up the phone. I was half-relieved that Edward and I hadn't been found out, half-apprehensive about screwing something up with the merger.

My stomach was in knots by the time I peered in the door to the boardroom and saw several executives waiting. Gerald Jones, the hospital lawyer, gestured for me to step inside. "Thank you for doing this, Miss Swan. Jane recommended you highly."

"Thank you, sir," I said. "What do you need me to do?"

He reviewed the various documents that needed to be signed and notarized, and directed me to take a seat at the table. I remembered Edward's fantasy about going down on me at this very table and I shivered. The image was burned into my brain now. I smoothed down my skirt and uncapped my pen, laying everything out precisely.

"Now, Miss Swan, it will be a few minutes before everyone is ready, just relax and I'll let you know when we need you."

"Thank you."

He wandered away to chat with some of the other people milling around the room. My heart stuttered in my chest when Edward walked in the room and I bit the inside of my cheek to distract myself from leaping up and going to him. I lowered my eyes, unable to look at him without wanting to smile and kiss him.

I glanced away to stare at the wall of windows across the table from me. It was a dreary, early fall day and the wind was whipping the trees, sending leaves fluttering to the ground. I tried to focus, but I was so on edge I couldn't stop my mind from wandering. The entire day had me feeling nervous and uncomfortable. From my interaction with Heidi the day before, to the responsibility of notarizing important documents for administration, and the added pressure of having to be around Edward in front of the very people we were trying to hide our relationship from, I felt frazzled.

I smoothed the black skirt I wore again, hating that my palms were damp and sweaty. I heard Edward laugh and couldn't stop myself from glancing his way. He was talking with several other executives, and seemed as confident and relaxed as ever. Still, I saw the way he rubbed his thumb against his jaw in a gesture I was beginning to recognize as a nervous habit of his. He was wearing a crisp black suit, pale grey shirt, and silver tone-on-tone paisley tie. He looked every inch the executive, and I felt a shiver run through me at the fact that although no one else in the room would know it, he was mine. Not Heidi's. Not anyone else's. Just _mine_.

I looked away, but not before I saw him glance at me out of the corner of his eye. His tongue wet his lips in an unconscious gesture and it made a spark of lust shoot through me.

"_Close your eyes and imagine you're on the table in the boardroom. It's empty, apart from the two of us, and I'm on my knees in front of you."_

I could hear Edward's voice in my mind, remembering the way he'd described his fantasy. Being here in this room—with him—made it hard for me to shake the image. I could almost feel his lips on my inner thigh and the way my back would press against the shiny, wooden table. I could hear the sounds he'd make as he devoured me, the feel of his skilled tongue on my eager flesh, and the way I'd cry out in pleasure. It was almost as real as if it was actually happening.

I shifted in my seat, feeling the slickness of my arousal begin to dampen the lace thong I was wearing. I wondered if Edward was struggling to rein in his arousal, as well. I quickly glanced over at him to see his hands in his suit pockets. Another sly, stolen glance told me he knew that I'd seen him.

"All right, Miss Swan, I think we're about ready." I jumped slightly and my head whipped around to see Mr. Jones looking at me. He was in his late fifties or early sixties, with a bit of a paunch and balding head. His blue eyes were kind as he smiled reassuringly at me. "Sorry to startle you."

"It's fine. I'm sorry, I was lost in thought."

"Not a problem," he said kindly. "Now, what do you need us to do?"

I took a deep breath and focused on my job. "Before the signing, I'll need to see identification from all parties signing, swear them in, and administer the oath."

He nodded in agreement. "Sounds good. Once that is finished then, we'll have you take a seat situated at the end of the line, so to speak. Jim Henthorn will go through the paperwork first, he'll pass it to David Barker from Greater Northwestern Cardiovascular, I'll glance over it, and then you can sign, stamp, and seal. All of the points where you will need to sign have been marked with an orange Post-It flag, and it should be straightforward. After you finish, I'll review it one last time and, as long as everything is set, your job here will be done."

"Thank you, sir," I said.

He chuckled and leaned closer to me. "You should have seen the mess we made of things when we did the merger with Portland Orthopedic. It was a nightmare. I checked this over three times myself and it's why I requested the best notary we have."

"And that was me, sir?" I said, surprised.

He nodded. "You were very highly recommended."

"By whom?" I asked, wondering if Edward had been the one who had praised me.

"By everyone I spoke to. I asked Marcy, my assistant, who she recommended, and she said you often notarized for administration. I checked around and everyone else agreed. I didn't hear a single negative comment."

"That's very flattering, sir. I appreciate it."

He nodded and turned to the men who were taking seats to his left. I wet my lips involuntarily as Edward took a seat a ways down the table and to my right. I needed to focus on what I was doing. I'd been incredibly unprofessional lately and I needed to get my act together. With horror, I realized that I hadn't even logged Edward's ID or had him swear the oath the last time I'd notarized something for him. Clearly, there hadn't been any problems, but I couldn't risk letting Edward become a distraction again. My job and reputation at work were on the line. And if I wanted to advance here at the hospital, I had to do this flawlessly.

It would be utterly embarrassing to make an error. If I let my mind wander and scribbled Isabella Cullen, like I'd done on Edward's paperwork, I'd let our secret out and we'd both be in a world of trouble.

Mr. Jones nodded at me to begin, and with a determined edge to my movements, I stood and walked briskly over to the Vice President of Operations. "Mr. Henthorn, I'm Isabella Swan and I'll be notarizing this merger. I need your photo I.D. so we can begin."

Although my stomach fluttered with nerves, my voice was steady. Once all of the parties involved had shown me their I.D., been logged, and sworn in, I administered the oath and the actual signing began.

I took a seat at the boardroom table as the participants began to sign. It all went smoothly enough until the third to last page.

I turned to Mr. Jones and pointed at a blank line. "Sir, it appears a signature is missing."

He blinked in surprise and took it from my hand, scanning it quickly before leaning over to show it to Mr. Barker. Mr. Barker nodded, scrawled his signature, and handed it back. In no time at all, the stack of papers had been notarized, the deal was done, and Gerald Jones was shaking my hand, thanking me profusely for my help.

"I can't thank you enough, Miss Swan. Your help today is appreciated. And well done catching that missing signature."

"Of course, any time, sir." My body sagged in relief now that the stressful part was over. The area around the table had mostly cleared; most of the bigwigs had migrated to one side of the room and were talking about the upcoming football game. My eyes flicked over them, stopping on Felix. I hadn't seen him since Edward and I had begun our relationship and, once again, I was bewildered by what Heidi saw in him. He was perhaps five or so years older than Edward. It wasn't that he was unattractive: he was tall and fit, with lightly tanned skin and dark eyes. His jet-black hair that had receded a bit to a widow's peak was less attractive, but it was his sharp, calculating gaze that made me find him unappealing.

I chuckled to myself, understanding for the first time that maybe he was a perfect match for Heidi. _Good riddance._ She could keep him. I would be happy to stay with Edward.

I capped my pen and gathered up my things, nearly dropping them when I heard Mr. Jones speak.

"Edward, you have quite the employee here in your department."

My head shot up and I saw Edward standing nearby. His gaze met mine briefly, and his voice came out lower and huskier than usual. "Indeed."

No one else would have noticed the difference in his voice, but I did. Somehow, that simple word and his tone made my whole body flush; the appreciation in his voice was like a warm caress.

I excused myself and gathered up my things to leave. Several other executives stopped to thank me on my way out, as well, and I managed to respond politely and professionally. By the time I made it out the door, Edward had already left. Perhaps he was trying to avoid Felix; I could hardly blame him for that.

But as I walked down the hall toward the Executive offices I nearly ran Edward over.

I gasped, barely remembering not to call him Edward. "Excuse me, Mr. Cullen." I was afraid I'd give something away when I said his name. It helped remind me, that here at work, he was _still_ my boss.

"No, excuse me, Miss Swan," he said smoothly. "I was actually hoping to speak to you about something."

"What is that, sir?"

"Well, I was reviewing a complaint with Jane Parker. As director for your department, she had some concerns about some of the practices in place for patients registering for pre-surgery testing. We'd like to make some changes, but I wanted to discuss it with you."

"With me, sir?"

"Yes. Please, come into my office. I have a few questions I'd like to ask you before you head back to your desk. I'd like feedback from someone actually involved in registering patients."

"Certainly."

"Just shut the door behind you. I'd like to discuss a few specific incidences that might have some confidentiality concerns."

I stepped into his office and closed the door, wondering if he was using this as an excuse to get me in his office with the door closed, or if it was something he legitimately needed to talk with me about.

When his lips immediately met mine, hungry and eager, and he pressed me to the heavy wooden door, I had my answer. Wound up from the fantasies of being in the boardroom and the tension crackling between us, I gave in to the kiss immediately. His hands slid around my waist and then down over my ass to hitch my leg up onto his hip. I could feel his cock hardening against me as his body met mine.

One leg wrapped around his waist; I groaned quietly against his mouth as his tongue twined with mine. It was feverish and desperate. The pent-up need crashed over us, making our kisses deep and hot and our hands roam. He kissed his way down my throat and slid a hand under my skirt. I shuddered when his fingers brushed my aroused flesh. His mouth went to my ear, his warm breath making the skin there prickle with sensation.

"You were so poised and self-confident in there. I loved seeing you like that. All I could think about was taking you. Did you picture it?" he asked, his tone no less heated and rough for being whispered. "Did you picture me laying you down on that table and tasting you?"

"Yes," I moaned quietly.

His fingers pushed the lace of my underwear aside and delved into me with a rough push. My knee buckled and he removed his hand, lifting me in a fluid motion and carrying me to his desk. Once again, he sat in the chair while my ass rested against the edge of the desk. I opened my mouth to say something but his hand went to my thighs and parted them. I knew I should protest. We were being so reckless again, but I was desperate to feel his fingers inside me. I braced myself on the desk as he pushed into me again, biting my lip to keep from crying out at the sensation. I wanted to cry out his name, moan, and beg him to go harder, but I couldn't.

Instead, I let my thighs fall open wider and my head fall back, my eyes closing as his fingers twisted and hit just the right spot. The illicit thrill of what we were doing ramped up every sensation, and it wasn't long before my thighs tensed and my entire body shuddered as the waves of my orgasm tore through me. My chest was heaving and I could feel my thighs shaking by the time I came down from it. Edward's fingers were still inside me and he was staring at me hungrily.

When he spoke, his voice was barely above a whisper, but it was rough and compelling. "The only thing I like better than watching you come like that is when I can still taste you on my lips after."

My nails bit into the surface of his desk as he slowly withdrew his hand, sending little shocks of pleasure coursing through my body. I watched him slowly raise the hand to his mouth, my wetness still glistening on his fingers. I felt like I was watching in slow motion as his mouth opened and his tongue came out. I whimpered when the tip of his tounge touched his index finger and he slowly lapped at the remnants of my arousal.

The orgasm I'd just had did nothing to dampen the rush of desire that went through me. I desperately wanted Edward inside of me. He was so incredibly sexy like this. But I knew we were running short on time.

I grabbed hold of his lapels and pulled him close to me, tasting my own arousal on his tongue. We kissed for a few moments before he pulled back with a regretful sigh. He smoothed my hair away from my cheek and his eyes met mine.

"I should let you go," he said reluctantly. "We shouldn't have done that, but I couldn't help myself."

I nodded in disappointment, but a little relieved; we were being so irresponsible. A few, slow, lingering kisses later, we disentangled ourselves and went through the routine of tidying up before I left. My heart was still racing when I walked past Pat's desk and saw her quizzical gaze.

_Shit, we really need to be more careful about this._

I made it to my desk on shaky legs and collapsed in my chair, flushed and elated, my heart still hammering in my chest.

**~BtBR~**

My good mood dimmed when Edward left that evening, a worried frown on his face. He looked tense and uncertain and, when his gaze swept over me, his expression didn't soften at all. He left without even a nod in my direction and I swallowed hard, breaking out in a cold sweat.

Whatever had caused Edward's change in mood, it wasn't good. I felt sick to my stomach even after I left work and I called Edward from my car. He answered immediately.

"Do you have plans tonight?" he asked tersely.

"I have class. What is going on, Edward?"

"Skip it. I need you to come over to my place."

"I have an exam next week; I really shouldn't skip," I protested. "What the hell is going on? You're scaring me, Edward."

"We need to talk. Someone knows about us."

* * *

**Notes: **Eeek! A cliff-hanger. *ducks* But you had to know this was coming. Next chapter we'll see how bad it really is. What do you think?

And what about the rest of the chapter? I gave you Bella and Heidi's first interaction since Edward and Bella began dating, a chance for Bella to wow the bigwigs at the Hospital, and a bit of naughtiness in Edward's office. Tell me what you thought of it! I'm dying to know.

Please stop by to chat or look for teasers in the following places:

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	12. Chapter 12 - Bella's Desk

**Notes: **Huge thanks to my pre-readers: Deb Arrington, Mandi Niko, and Jules Twifanawesomesox; my beta: Alice's White Rabbit; and my Validation beta: Kherisma. They are amazing.

Finally back on a regular posting schedule. We got things wrangled and we're trying to get ahead of things for the upcoming chapters. Loved hearing all of your theories about who knows their secret!

* * *

**Chapter 12: Bella's Desk**

"Fuck," I swore, closing my eyes in frustration, worry making my stomach clench. "Fuck, I knew we shouldn't have done that today."

"Can you come over or not?" Edward asked, his tone clipped.

"What about Maggie?"

"School activity—we have until seven-thirty."

"Shit. Okay, I'll be there as fast as I can," I promised.

Still reeling from Edward's statement and the terse way he'd spoken to me, I drove to his house in a daze. Hoping that I'd be gone before Maggie got back, I pulled into the garage. As usual, Edward had left the garage door up for me. He met me before I was even out of the car. He looked wrecked, his face was etched with deep lines, and his hair was a chaotic mess. His suit jacket and tie were gone and his shirt was unbuttoned with the sleeves rolled up.

My stomach twisted in knots and I felt nauseous. I took a deep breath, bracing myself for the worst. As Edward guided me into the house, I asked, "Who is it?"

He stopped in the hallway and turned to face me. "My assistant, Pat. She waited until almost everyone had left for the day and came into my office. She closed the door, and the second I saw her face, I knew."

I numbly followed Edward into the living room, processing what he'd just told me, and took a seat beside him on the couch.

"What did she say exactly?" I asked, my hands trembling with nerves.

"That it wasn't her place to judge, but that she's noticed that you had been alone in my office a few times."

"Fuck," I swore. "We should have been more careful."

Edward's hand came up to rub the back of his neck. He fell silent and wouldn't meet my eyes. Sick feeling, I wondered if he was having second thoughts about our relationship. About us. "What else?" I asked.

"She asked if we were dating. She's too smart not to have put it all together. I didn't see any point in denying it."

"Okay." I nodded, apprehensive. I was taken aback that he'd done that without talking to me but I trusted his judgment. He knew Pat far better than I did, but I wasn't sure that I was entirely comfortable with him making decisions that affected both of our careers without even considering asking me. "How did she respond?"

"She assured me that she didn't feel it was her place to inform HR or tell anyone else. I don't have any reason not to trust her, but …" His voice trailed off.

"We were really stupid," I said shakily.

"Yes. Our behavior at work was too risky," he agreed.

I closed my eyes for a moment, my stomach still twisted in knots. "What else did she say?"

"She warned me how careful we need to be. Just because she's willing to keep our secret doesn't mean others would be. Plus, she put her neck out there for us, by not disclosing this to HR. I don't want to see her get in trouble for this, as well."

"Did she seem … disapproving?"

"Of our relationship? No, she was supportive, or at least not against the idea of us being together. She did say that she noticed how much happier I appeared lately." He glanced over at me and pushed my hair behind my ear, his eyes finally meeting mine with a steady, thoughtful gaze.

"So, we're going to be okay?" I asked.

He softly rubbed his thumb across my cheek. "We'll be okay. I trust Pat. We're just lucky it was her. There are a lot of other people who wouldn't have been so willing to keep our secret," he said, his relief palpable.

Relief washed over me, too, as my swimming thoughts slowly calmed. We were _incredibly_ lucky that it had been someone who would keep our secret.

"I know," I admitted. "No more trips to your office."

He sighed and sat back, his hand falling to his knee. "I agree. I'm sorry, Bella."

"This isn't your fault," I protested. "Or, at least not any more your fault than it is mine. We were careless, and we're lucky that it wasn't any worse."

"It's just, I promised you that I would do everything I could to protect your career, and yet, I was the one who kept on coming up with excuses for you to be in my office. I let you down, Bella." He looked absolutely gutted; sick with regret.

I leaned forward, taking his face in my hands so he looked me straight in the eye. "I could have said no, Edward. I chose not to. We're both to blame here."

"But I swore I'd—"

I cut his words off with a finger against his lips. His expression didn't soften at all, though, and after a moment, I drew back. I shook my head to stop the protests that immediately began to form. "No, Edward. Don't do this. Don't blame yourself or hold yourself to some impossible ideal. We did this _together_. We'll figure it out _together_."

The worry in his eyes finally eased and I felt myself relax a little. He seemed to hold himself completely responsible for what had happened, and that was ridiculous. I was just as much to blame as he was. And I wasn't happy with the way he treated me on the phone.

"However," I continued, "you scared the _shit_ out of me when you left work and called. I thought you were going to call things off between us."

"What?" he asked, looking shocked. "Of course not. Why would you think that?"

"Because you were so cold at work. You barely even acknowledged me on your way out. I've never seen you like that before, Edward. I guess I just assumed the worst."

He cupped my cheek in his hand before pulling me close. "No, Bella. I'm sorry I scared you. I shouldn't have been so abrupt. I was panicking, and I tend to shut down and pull away because I'm used to dealing with things on my own when things go wrong."

I swallowed hard, trying to sort through my confused jumble of emotions. "Please, please don't ever do that again."

"I won't," he murmured against my hair. "You're right. We're in this together."

I left Edward's place forty-five minutes later, reassured, but not entirely relaxed. We'd spent most of the remaining time talking, trying to come up with a plan for how we'd handle things at work in the future. We couldn't be that risky again. Although I hated to go a whole week without touching him, I'd have to manage. Not only did we have a lot to lose if we got caught, I was afraid that our relationship wouldn't survive if we had to deal with the stress.

**~BtBR~**

The following morning, when I got to work, I gave myself a mental pep talk reminding myself that I had to be on my absolute best behavior. Edward arrived about twenty minutes after me, looking incredible in a navy blue suit and pale blue tie. I glanced at him, trying to keep a neutral expression on my face. Edward's gaze slid over me and he gave me a cool, polite nod as he walked by. I blinked in surprise and looked down at my desk, trying not to let it hurt that he'd barely even acknowledged me.

He didn't emerge from his office until I was getting ready to leave. There were no soft smiles, no warm gazes. There was only a coldly indifferent glance that made my heart sink. Intellectually, I knew it was the smart thing to do, but it didn't necessarily make it easier. But what could we do? It was only because Pat was nice enough to keep our secret that we weren't fighting to keep our jobs. If I wanted to be with Edward, and keep our jobs safe, I had to deal with him ignoring me at work. The alternatives were simply unthinkable.

The following day was much the same. I threw myself into work and school, trying to pretend like it didn't bother me that Edward and I only saw each other in passing. We talked on the phone those nights, but it wasn't the same, and we both knew it.

By Thursday, I was incredibly frustrated.

I vented to Edward on the phone that night. "I _hate_ this. I know it's necessary, but it's awful."

"We just have to make it until tomorrow and we'll have the whole weekend together," Edward reassured me.

I closed my eyes, fighting back the urge to beg him to come over. I just needed a look from him, or a hug. Something. _Anything_.

It made me feel needy to be so desperate for him. It was only another day until we'd be together. But it was hard to squelch the urge. I managed, only because I knew he valued his time with Maggie and I hated to disturb that. Granted, by this time at night, she was usually in her room talking with her friends, but I could hardly expect Edward to run out to reassure me. I'd be fine, even if it didn't feel like it at the moment.

We talked for a long time that night, until we were both yawning. I eventually, reluctantly, said goodnight to Edward. "I'll see you in the morning."

His voice was soft. "Goodnight, Bella."

In the morning, I once again steeled myself for his indifferent attitude. It wasn't necessarily any easier, but I tried to hold on to the memory of him whispering my name as I quietly murmured, "Morning, Mr. Cullen," and he nodded at me and walked by. Of course, Friday ended up being a day that he had meetings off campus and he passed my desk several times throughout the day. I tried to make myself look busy when he passed; searching for a file or busily typing up an email that wasn't really urgent at all.

Lunch was the worst. As Tanya and I walked into the break room, Edward was walking by in the hallway. My eyes flashed to the stunning redhead, Victoria McKenna, by his side. She was the Director of Risk Management, and as Edward's eyes flickered coolly over me and returned to her, I felt a stab of jealousy. She was gorgeous and just his age. From the looks she was giving him, she was certainly interested in him. His expression as he looked at her wasn't cool and indifferent at all, but warm and attentive as he listened to her talk. I knew it was for the persona he had to adopt when his hand solicitously hovered at her mid-back and he guided her around Tanya and me. But it didn't mean I liked it, or that it didn't make me question our relationship, just for a second. Steeling my expression into a blank mask, I followed Tanya into the break room. For once, the sight of the counter where Edward had fucked me so well didn't make me feel a hot rush of arousal through my body. It only made me feel sad and a little bit sick.

What were we _doing_?

The games we were playing to hide our relationship, the lies I was telling everyone I knew, they all crashed over me. I excused myself for a moment as Tanya pulled out her lunch and took a seat at the table. I hurried to the restroom, my fingers fumbling for the lock on the door as I struggled to take a calming breath. I leaned my forehead against the door, trying to fight back the stinging tears.

Could I really do this for another couple of months? Could I spend every day fighting to keep the world from knowing my feelings for him?

It was only the thought of the way he made me feel that steeled my resolve and helped me pull myself together again. I could do this. I _would_ do this. I wanted to be with Edward, and although the next few months would be torturous, he was worth it. I was sure of that.

I fixed a calm mask in place as I made it through the rest of my day, but inside I was keyed up and anxious to get to Edward's.

The minute I was at his house, in his arms, the horrible tension and anxiety finally dissipated. He held me tightly, murmuring into my hair how much he'd missed holding me. Relieved, I was finally able to relax. There was a never before felt desperation and hunger in the way we kissed and touched each other, and it wasn't until we were both spent and exhausted that we finally relaxed onto his bed.

We didn't even pretend that we were going to do anything but spend the entire weekend in bed talking and being intimate. We talked about the miserable way we'd felt having to act so indifferent to each other during the week. I even confessed my jealousy of Victoria McKenna.

Edward shook his head incredulously. "Bella, I have no desire for her. She's just a colleague."

"I know that. I just … I was being stupid." I laughed ruefully. "You're not the only one who gets occasionally insecure."

"In a way, I'm a little relieved," he said. "Knowing that you struggle with this, too, helps. Sometimes, I wonder if you want me as much as I want you. It's hard to turn off the voice in my head saying that you're just humoring me. I know better, but sometimes it won't go away."

"You have no idea. I _always_ want you, Edward. Nearly every moment of every day. If you think for one minute, that I don't want you every bit as much as you want me, then you don't understand my feelings for you at all, Edward."

He leaned down to give me a slow, lingering kiss. "I do. I'm getting there, anyway."

The weekend together was wonderful. When I left his house, even though I knew what we'd have to face during the week, I was comforted knowing that the end of it would always bring me back to being in Edward's arms. And there was no place I would rather be.

**~BtBR~**

I had completely forgotten that the past weekend was the one where I was supposed to have met 'Anthony' and when Tanya nearly accosted me first thing Monday morning, it took me a moment to concoct a plausible reason why I might not have met him.

"He was sick and had to cancel," I lied, busying myself with hanging up my coat and stashing my purse in my desk so I didn't have to look her in the eye. "A really bad cold or something. He said he wasn't going to be much fun and he didn't want to get me sick, so we rescheduled."

"Bummer," Tanya said, sympathetically. "I was so looking forward to hearing all about your naughty weekend."

Liz walked by and gave us a scathing look. I rolled my eyes at her perpetual hatred of all of man-kind. I took a seat at my desk and was logging in when Liz spoke. "You know, Bella, if it weren't for the flowers, I'd be starting to wonder if you were just making this guy up."

Tanya immediately chimed in to defend me, "Can it, Liz. Bella's not that type of person."

Her loyalty to me was sweet, but it made me feel even worse for lying to her.

Thankfully, as with most Monday mornings, we were overwhelmed with patients arriving to have bloodwork done, and the phones ringing off the hook. I was spared having to reply. In fact, I was so busy I barely even noticed Edward arrive, which was almost a nice change of pace. I didn't have to pretend not to acknowledge him. I didn't have _time_ to.

**~BtBR~**

The following morning, I woke up to no less than six emails wishing me a happy birthday; one from each of my parents, Emmett, Rose, Alice, and Tanya. With everything that had been going on with Edward, the fact that it was the thirteenth of September had nearly slipped my mind entirely. Once I realized it was my birthday, I grinned happily. I hadn't been so excited about a birthday since I was a kid. Being twenty-three was a small difference, but at least until Edward's birthday—which I still needed to discover the date of—he and I were one year closer in age. It also meant that I was now _seven_ years older than Maggie. Technicalities really, but considering the social stereotypes and public acceptance of our age difference, it felt like a small step forward—even if only temporary.

I dressed in a steel-blue sheath dress and black cardigan, putting on my favorite pair of black heels and taking a little extra time to curl my hair.

I was in a great mood when I got to work, and Tanya immediately popped out of her chair and rushed over to hug me. "Happy Birthday!"

"Thanks."

I hugged her back and put my coat and purse in the closet before walking over to my desk. I gasped at the small collection of things waiting for me. "What did you do?"

She grinned. "A latte and orange-cranberry muffin to start off your day, and just a little something fun in the bag for you." Next to my computer monitor, there was a small, cream-colored bag with blue tissue paper sticking out of the top.

"You are an amazing friend, Tanya," I exclaimed. "I almost stopped by the coffee shop for a latte on my way in, but I was afraid it would make me late. Now I'm really glad I didn't."

"Open the gift," she said, perching on my desk. "I am dying to see your reaction."

I glanced around the room; it was a typical quiet Tuesday morning—no patients were there yet. "Okay," I agreed.

I took a seat, reaching for the card tucked inside the gift bag. As always, it was hilarious and rather raunchy—Tanya's specialty—and I had to cover my mouth to stifle my laugh while I read it.

I reached in the bag and pulled out something heavy. Puzzled, I inspected it, and was amused to see a package of eight batteries, with a gift card to the local sex-toy shop. I rolled my eyes and shook my head at her. "Really, Tanya?"

She nodded proudly. "Really. I figured you'd need it since you still haven't gotten any."

My smile dimmed as I thought about the story I'd told her yesterday. Tanya was such a good friend and it made me feel horrible to lie to her. It was necessary, but I hated it.

"Right. Well, this will come in handy, then," I commented. "Thanks."

"Hey, you okay, Bella?" she asked.

"Sure. I'm fine. Thanks for everything."

I forced a smile on my face and hugged her again, grateful to have her for a friend. About half an hour later, my cell phone vibrated on my desk. I usually stashed it in a cubby where I could hear a call come in, but it wouldn't disturb anyone if I didn't have time to answer it. Right then, no one was waiting to register so I answered it, surprised to see that Edward was calling. The moment I said hello, he replied, "Happy Birthday, Bella."

"Thank you." I smiled; surprised that he even knew it was my birthday.

"I want to make this quick. In the middle right-hand drawer of your desk there is a box, open it, but be sure not to let anyone else see you do it."

Puzzled, I glanced around, and when I was sure no one was watching, I slid the drawer open a little and saw a small, white, leather jewelry box. It wasn't a ring box, but something roughly the same size. I carefully lifted the lid, and inside was a set of diamond earrings. I barely contained a gasp from leaving my mouth.

"Do you like them?" he asked.

"They're . . . They're perfect," I replied, trying to catch my breath. It was an elaborate gift and I couldn't believe he'd spent what he had, considering we'd only been dating just over a month. They were made from rose gold and had princess cut diamonds in the center with tiny diamond chips surrounding them.

"Good, there's a card, too, but be discreet opening that. Go to your car on your lunch and call me."

"Okay," I agreed, still dazed by his gift. "And thank you, I love them," I hastily added before he hung up.

I reached in the drawer again, and touched them; wanting to be sure I hadn't just imagined them. For a moment, it felt like I'd been dreaming. But they were cool and solid against my fingertip, the diamonds glittering brightly against the halogen lights above. I'd meant it when I told him they were perfect. They were small enough to not be ostentatious, yet elegant and unique. I glanced around again, making sure no one had seen me staring into my desk drawer like an idiot. That certainly would have caught someone's attention, but everyone else was occupied with their work.

It wasn't until my lunch break that I was able to stash the earrings and card into my bag, and I hurried out to my car, calling out an apology to Tanya when I told her I needed to call my parents.

Another lie. I felt like I would drown in them.

Once I was in my car, I opened the card and read it, unable to contain the smile that crossed my lips at the sweet birthday wishes. I called Edward immediately and he answered. I could almost hear the answering smile in his voice when he spoke. We spent most of my lunch break talking. He chuckled when I described the gift from Tanya, and there was a flirtatious lilt to his voice when he suggested that I buy something at the sex shop that we could use together. I gently chastised him for getting me all worked up at work when he couldn't do anything about it and he laughed, telling me that turnabout was fair play.

My break was winding down when we finally hung up. I needed to get back to my desk and he had a meeting to go to. Before I went inside, I lifted the earrings from the box, put them on, and admired them in the mirror. Other than my parents, no one had ever bought me a gift like this before. I let my hair fall down, not wanting to draw too much attention to myself and went back to work.

**~BtBR~**

The week passed slowly and, for once, I was grateful for the amount of homework I had to do. I was able to use whatever down time I had studying but still found myself counting down the hours until Friday night. When it was time to leave, I practically leapt out of my chair.

"Eager to meet Anthony, are you?" Tanya teased, shrugging into her coat.

"Yeah, I'm eager to see him." Tanya had invited me to go out for drinks with her on Saturday, and I'd declined, telling her I was _finally_ going to meet Alice's friend 'Anthony.'

"Well, have fun; I want to hear all about it on Monday! I am dying for some juicy gossip."

I gave her a weak smile. "Sure."

We walked out to the parking garage and I distracted Tanya with questions about her plans for the weekend.

I unlocked my car and tossed my purse inside. As I straightened up, Tanya grabbed my shoulder and pushed my hair behind my ear. "Where did you get these?" she asked quizzically. "They're _gorgeous!_"

Her fingertips were cool against my earlobe and I felt my cheeks flush, knowing she was asking about Edward's birthday gift.

"Uh, they were a gift for my birthday. I got them earlier this week."

"From your parents, I assume? I mean, this Anthony guy can't actually be sending you jewelry since you've never met."

I laughed weakly. "Right. Yeah, that would be crazy."

"Well, your mom has great taste. I mean, I'm guessing your dad didn't pick the earrings out."

"No, my dad definitely didn't pick them out. I have to help him buy jewelry for my mom, actually."

"Well, I love them. Ask her where she got them for me, 'k?"

"Sure," I agreed, hoping she'd forget about them.

"Well, I should let you go, since you have to make the drive to Seattle tonight. You're staying at Alice's right? I mean, I want you to hook up, but I don't want you chopped up into little bits either. I know Alice vouched for him, but I still worry." She frowned, her blue eyes concerned.

"I wouldn't just go off with some guy I don't know," I reassured her, the guilt from my growing story stabbing me even more sharply at her relieved look. She really was a good friend.

"Well, have fun. Ooh, do you need condoms?" she asked. "I know it's been forever and yours might be expired or something."

I laughed. "I'm fine, Tanya. I don't need any condoms, but thank you."

"'K. Can't wait to hear all about it! Night!" In a blur of strawberry-blonde waves, she headed to her car and I waved at her as she drove away.

I climbed into my car with a heavy heart and guilty conscience. It lingered on the drive to Edward's house and it wasn't until I was inside, in his arms, that I finally felt I could let things with Tanya go.

He immediately seemed to notice that something was wrong. "Hey, did something happen?" he asked.

I shook my head and sagged against him, drawing strength from his arms around me and the reassuring warmth of his body. "Not anything in particular, just feeling like a shitty friend for lying to Tanya."

He frowned. "I'm sorry. I hate to see you so torn up about it."

I shrugged half-heartedly. "It has to happen—at least for now. I understand that. It's just not easy. I'm afraid she might never forgive me for it."

"If you need to, you can tell her, I suppose," he offered, but I shook my head no.

"Thanks, but I think it's best if I don't. I trust her, but why risk it, you know? The fewer people who know the better. I'll be fine, I just need to unwind."

Edward beamed at me. "Well, then I have the perfect surprise for you."

"Surprise? For what?"

"Well, your birthday for one."

I shook my head dismissively. "You already gave me the earrings. I love them, by the way. I've worn them every day since you gave them to me."

Much like Tanya had, he pushed my hair away from my face to see his gift. His face softened when he saw them. "They look good on you," he said approvingly. "But I have one more surprise."

I gave him a quizzical look and he grinned down at me. "C'mere. I'll show you."

He led me upstairs and I flushed, imagining him taking me to bed. Now _that_ was a birthday surprise I'd be eager to unwrap. But instead of heading to his bedroom, he led me to the spare room beside it. I'd never even seen it before, but he'd mentioned that he had several rooms he had no idea what to do with. At the time, I'd shaken my head, baffled by his statement. I lived in a one-bedroom apartment; it was _lack_ of space I struggled with, not too much of it.

I wasn't surprised to see that the room was large and empty of furniture. But what did surprise me were the two massage tables set up side-by-side, and two women standing beside them.

"Couples massages," he explained. "I thought we could both use the relaxation. And it sounds like tonight is the perfect night for that."

"Absolutely," I said. "This is amazing, Edward. How do you always know just what to do to sweep me off my feet?"

"Easy," he said. "For years, I've imagined someone in my life who would appreciate these things, and like magic, you appeared."

Touched, I leaned into his side and brushed my lips across his before we stepped into the room.

The massage therapists were both warm and friendly. They instructed us to change and we disappeared into the adjoining bathroom with the two large, fluffy white robes they handed us. It took us a little bit longer to change than it ought to. We were both distracted, and Edward seemed particularly eager to touch me.

Giggling, I finally dragged him back to the guestroom to find the lights dimmed, candles lit, and soft music playing in the background. The massage therapists left the room so we could remove the robes and get comfortable. I wiggled into position, pulling the towel they provided over my butt, and when I was in place, I reached out for Edward, smiling when our hands immediately bumped. Couples massages had always been one of those things on my fantasy list of things to try. Edward really couldn't have picked a more perfect surprise for me. I squeezed his hand and just a few moments later the masseuses returned.

I moaned unashamedly at the first touch of the slippery hands on my body. In no time at all, I felt my stress melt away and I gave over to the expert touch. Edward's groans were equally appreciative, and something about the atmosphere, our connected hands, and the feel of someone's hands on my body all served to arouse me. I tried not to squirm too much on the table, but it was difficult. By the time they finished the massage, I was so relaxed I felt like I could drift off to sleep.

When they stepped out of the room to let us re-dress in our robes, Edward had to help me down from the massage table. I gave him a dopey smile and he looked equally relaxed, though a little more alert. "Thank you, Edward," I said softly.

"I am glad you enjoyed it. It was awfully difficult to hear you moaning and not be the one causing it, though. Let me see them out, and I'll meet you in the bedroom, all right?" His eyes gleamed.

"All right," I agreed eagerly.

I made my way into his bedroom, pulling the door closed behind me. I heard faint sounds from the other room as the massage therapists packed up their equipment. I removed the robe, got comfortable on the bed, and pulled the sheet over me. In the hallway, I heard Edward thank the women and follow them down the stairs. I was half-asleep by the time he returned with two candles. He set them on the dresser across the room, and locked the door behind him. He clicked off the overhead light and I gave him a sleepy smile. "I feel so good."

He chuckled and stripped before getting into the bed beside me. "I'm glad." He leaned in to kiss me softly, his lips brushing across mine a few times before settling more firmly against them.

I threaded my fingers through his hair, tilting my head and parting my lips so he could kiss me deeper. I sighed against his mouth as his hand moved under the soft sheet to cover my breast. His thumb brushed against my nipple; it tightened immediately, reacting to his touch. He trailed open-mouthed kisses along my jaw to my ear, his teeth gently nibbling the spot underneath before continuing down my neck. I wound my leg around his hip, eager to feel him inside of me, but he seemed content to tease me slowly.

His lips moved across my shoulder and down my arm, making me squirm when they reached the inner crease of my elbow. He went all the way to my palm, his lips soft and damp against the sensitive skin, before moving back up. I could hear my eager breathing in the quiet room and I gasped when his lips reached my nipple. He took it into his warm, wet mouth and sucked tenderly, before dragging his teeth so lightly over it I could hardly feel them.

He moved to the other side and continued the action, alternating between the two until I thought I'd lose my mind from his touch. Eager, I shifted restlessly on the bed, desperately wanting more than his sweet torture.

I was panting and squirming by the time his heated kisses reached the apex of my thighs. When he finally moved to my pussy, his hungry mouth brought me to a drawn-out orgasm that left me shaking. His gaze locked with mine as he moved to hover over me and the intensity of his gaze made me shudder.

"Edward …" I breathed.

"I want you," he said longingly.

"Then have me. Take me. Any way you want me."

He sighed and pressed me down against the bed, his chin resting on my chest. I reached up and ran my fingers through his hair; he always seemed to find it soothing. His voice was hesitant and a little vulnerable. "Tell me you want me, too."

I kissed him hard, needing him to feel the desperation that I felt every time I was near him. I pushed him down onto the bed and straddled him, my lips and tongue seeking his immediately. "I want you," I whispered. "Every day, every hour, every moment. I want you."

"I've been starved for sex, for touch, for intimacy. I want your lips on mine and your body wrapped around me," he said. "I don't know how I stood it for so long. Seeing you every day, seeing how warm you are with people; it seemed unreal. How did I ever think I could stay away from you?"

"You make me so happy, Edward," I whispered.

His answering kiss was deep and sweet, full of unchecked emotion. He gently shifted my hips to hover over him, pressed a hand to my lower back, and slipped inside of me as easily as breathing. I cried out softly against his lips as he filled me. We rocked together, lips never parting, hands searching to hold each other as close as possible. He filled me as if he was made for me, the part of me that I'd been searching for.

It was so much more than the physical way he fit into me, but the way it felt when he held me. The tone of his voice as we talked. It was all the little things that felt more right than anyone else before ever had.

Our movements were slow, deep, and even. It was intimate, connected, making me feel joined with him in more than just the physical sense. His thumb stroked my temple as he looked at me, his eyes so, so hopeful. We both came with soft, shuddering sighs, our foreheads pressed together.

I could see that he was trying to trust me, and to relax and not question my desire to be with him. I'd been thinking a lot about our relationship and where it was going lately. I was nowhere near ready to say it out loud. But in the dark, in my own mind, I allowed myself to admit I was falling in love with Edward.

* * *

**Notes: **So, they were lucky. But Heidi clearly has some suspicions, and they really, really are going to have to be vigilant at work.

And what about Bella's realization at the end? That's pretty huge. Think Edward's there yet?

Please stop by to chat or look for teasers in the following places:

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	13. Chapter 13 - Bella's Living Room

**Notes: **Huge thanks to my pre-readers: Deb Arrington, Mandi Niko, and Jules Twifanawesomesox; my beta: Alice's White Rabbit; and my Validation beta: Kherisma. They are the reason this story isn't a complete and utter mess.

So, opinions are divided. Some of you think Edward is already in love with Bella but hesitating to say anything. And some of you think he isn't in love with her yet, because he's too scared she won't return his feelings. Hmm.

* * *

**Chapter 13: Bella's Living Room**

Edward and I spent a wonderful, lazy Saturday drinking coffee, reading the paper, and relaxing. A part of me wanted to blurt out how I felt about him, but I couldn't help worrying that it was too soon. Instead, I focused on talking with him more, learning the little things that made him tick. Despite our rather unusual beginning, we seemed to mesh perfectly. He admitted that he tended to be a worrier—a planner—where I tended to take a somewhat more relaxed approach. I worked hard when I was at work, but in my down time, I liked to take things easy. I was happy to read or talk with Edward.

In some ways, it was like he was re-learning who he was. It didn't take long to figure out that Heidi had been the type of person who was always on the go, eager to get out to socialize and network in her free time. Edward had bowed to her wishes, but now, he seemed to relish the relaxation. There was never a shortage of things to discuss: politics, current events, or the business of running a hospital.

I found it fascinating. Edward seemed to come alive when we discussed topics like that. His eyes would sparkle and he would use his hands to make emphatic gestures to help make a point. He was animated in his element, and it only made me fall for him harder.

We were both disappointed as our time together dwindled on Sunday. The reluctance we both felt at saying goodbye seemed to grow every time we were together. We spent a long time standing by the door, his arms locked around my waist, talking and kissing. He had this habit of running his nose along my jaw and whispering sweetly in my ear. It made it very difficult to convince myself to leave.

It was just as well that I did have to leave. Spending _all_ of our free time together would probably put a strain on our relationship. Still, as I kissed him goodbye one last time, it took every ounce of willpower I had to let go of Edward's body and walk to my car. He stood in the doorway as I backed out of the garage, watching me leave.

I drove home thinking of Edward. After our shower that morning, he had dressed in a button-down shirt and khakis but he'd left his hair mussed and casual. Underneath the neat and tidy executive that everyone saw on a daily basis, was a warm, caring man. I wondered how many people besides me had ever seen it. Did they have any inkling that he was fierce and passionate in bed, eager to please? Had they seen his vulnerability or the way he'd tamped down his own needs for so long to do what was right? Did they have any idea that the money, power, and prestige of his position at the hospital were only a small portion of what he wanted from life?

It astonished me to realize that I probably knew him better than almost anyone at this point. We had been together for such a short period of time, and yet, I already couldn't imagine my life without Edward in it.

Once I got home, I went up to my lonely apartment, missing Edward acutely. I had cleaning and laundry to do before I got to work on homework. I hoped that it would take my mind off how much I missed him.

I had just finished a load of laundry later that evening when my phone rang. It was Alice, and I answered eagerly, pleased that she'd called. "Hey, hun! How is it going?"

"I'm okay. How are you doing?" she asked.

"Great, actually. Really, _really_ great." I threw myself down on the couch and got comfortable.

"Tell me you _didn't _decide to start seeing your boss," she said warily.

I chuckled. "Guilty as charged. I know it's crazy, but I am so happy, Alice."

"God, Bella, I can't believe how stupid you are. Is he really_ that _good in bed? I never took you for the type to want to sleep your way to the top," she said acidly.

I blinked in shock at her harsh words. "What is with the sudden hostility, Alice? Couldn't you be a little supportive?" I launched into a detailed explanation of what had happened over the last few weeks, and how my relationship with Edward had nothing to do with his position furthering my career.

"How do you think this is going to end, Bella?" she asked, after a long pause. "I don't see the situation going in any direction other than down, leaving you heartbroken and without a career at the hospital. How are you going to feel then? What happens when he decides to date someone his own age or you get tired of fucking geriatrics?" The resentment and disapproval was clear in her voice but there was something else there, too.

"Alice, you don't know anything about Edward. Maybe if you actually took a moment to listen to what I'm saying instead of just judging him, you'd see him differently. I know you just broke up with James and that he was an ass for what he did, but don't you think you're being unfairly judgmental?"

I heard Alice gasp and then go silent. After a long pause I spoke up. "Alice?"

"I can't believe you just said that, Bella. James was an ass for what he did but at least he was my age and wasn't my boss! Are you really so blinded by this guy that you can't see the similarities? You have to protect yourself and your career or you're just being stupid. What happened to your goal of getting your marketing degree? Do you really think the hospital is going to keep you on staff once they find out you've been sleeping with your boss? You may not see that as an issue, but the rest of us sure do. I love you, but I can't support you. Not when I feel like you're making a _monumental _mistake. I wouldn't be a very good friend if I didn't warn you. This is _insane_, Bella." I could hear the disapproval in her voice.

"Look, I'm not stupid. I know exactly what I want in life and despite what you might think, being with Edward has no affect on that whatsoever. I'm not pretending like it's going to be easy and that I'm not aware that we have to keep things professional at work, but can't you be happy that I found someone?"

"No," she said bluntly. "I don't care how hot he is, or how good of a lay. You're going to be sorely disappointed when you screw up your career over some guy because you're blinded by his dick. I think you should have found someone equally good in bed who _isn't_ carrying around enough baggage to sink a ship. Someone who isn't going to fuck up your career."

"He's not _some guy!_ He's … Jesus, Alice, I'm falling in love with him, all right? He's _everything_," I said, tears pricking my eyes. I loved Alice but her acidic words felt like a knife tearing into me.

"_He's nearly forty!_ He's divorced with a kid, and, _clearly,_ has never had a decent relationship. You've dated college kids who wouldn't know what commitment meant if it slapped them in the face. It's cute and all that you and Edward are playing house on the weekends, but you're both crazy if you think it's going to end up with you as his wife in the big family home and being Maggie's stepmother."

"You're getting a little ahead of yourself there," I said coldly. "I told you I'm falling for him, not that I'm planning to run off with Edward and get married. I know things are going to be hard; I'm not trying to delude myself on that count. We're both well aware of the difficulties we have to face.

"Look, I get that you're bitter right now, Alice, but you're being cruel. I appreciate the honesty, but the nastiness is uncalled for. Don't bother to talk to me unless you can be a little less bitchy."

I ended the call and tossed my phone on the coffee table, wincing as it skated across the wooden surface and landed on the floor. I covered my face in my hands and tried to stifle the sob that came out. It didn't work. The pent up stress from the last few weeks washed over me and I burst into tears, unbelievably hurt by what Alice had said. I cried until I was exhausted and my eyes were red and swollen.

After I went and splashed water on my face, I picked my phone up off the floor. I stared at the display for a long time, wanting to call Edward, but afraid that it would only make him feel worse about our relationship. Plus, I hated to interrupt his time with Maggie with my drama. I decided to wait to tell him until I was feeling a little less emotional about it. My next instinct was to call Tanya, but I knew I couldn't. I really needed to get some perspective on the conversation with Alice though, and I knew getting an outside opinion would help. Rose knew both Alice and I quite well and would be able to give me the feedback I needed. I scrolled through my contacts to her name and hit dial.

"Bella!" Rose answered excitedly. "How are you? I haven't heard from you in so long. I miss you, girl!"

"I've been better, Rose," I replied hoarsely.

"Oh, no! What's wrong?"

"I got in a fight with Alice. I'm seeing this guy, and it's … well, it's sort of a difficult situation. She just broke up with her boyfriend and I feel like she's taking her angst out on me. I just need your opinion on what happened with Alice. Actually, you and Em," I admitted. I knew it was a bit risky, telling more people about Edward's and my relationship, but I trusted Rose and Emmett. Plus, they were both from out of town, and not connected to the hospital in any way, so there was much less risk there. Hopefully, when I told Edward he would understand.

"Of course," Rosalie said, and I heard her cover the phone, her voice muffled. "Hey, Em, you up for driving to Portland to see Bella tonight?"

"Sure!" he shouted.

"You don't have to come here," I protested.

"Hey, you need us, we'll come. I've been dying to see you anyway," she said cheerfully.

"Are you sure?" I asked doubtfully.

"I'm sure. We'll be there in about an hour."

"Thanks, Rose," I said gratefully, "I owe you guys."

"We love you, hun."

Feeling very lucky to have friends like her, my heart swelled with gratitude. "Love you guys, too."

I hung up, pulled myself together, and settled down on the couch with my laptop and a paper I needed to write. I knew if I gave myself time to think I'd be a mess by the time Rose and Emmett arrived. So instead, I lost myself in the tedium of typing up an outline. I worked straight through the hour without realizing it, and was actually startled by the knock on the door.

The minute I opened it, I was engulfed in the arms of both Rose and Emmett. They squeezed me tight, and I gratefully squeezed back. "Missed you guys," I said, my voice muffled by Rose's silky blonde hair.

"We've missed you, too. Now come on, tell me what's going on," Rose said.

Emmett stepped back, following us as Rose linked arms with me. I gasped when I glanced over at her.

"Oh, I can see your belly! You look fabulous," I gushed, reaching a hand out to touch the soft swell of her stomach. "How are you feeling?"

"So much better now that the morning sickness is gone."

"Good." We got settled onto the couch while Emmett took a seat in a chair across the room from us, propping his feet up on the coffee table.

"So, what's going on?" Rose asked.

I sighed and took a deep breath before I began. "I'm seeing this guy. He's actually, technically, my boss."

There was no concealing the surprise on both Rose and Emmett's faces, but they let me continue. "I've been attracted to him for several years, but it wasn't until a while after he got divorced that anything happened between us."

I launched into a depiction of how Edward and I got together, without going into too much detail. Still, Emmett made a face when he realized the man I was dating was the one he had made fun of for being so much older than me when we'd gone out to lunch a few months back.

He spoke first when I was done, and I braced myself for his overprotective brother act. But he surprised me. "Well, you know I think he's too old for you, but if you're happy, I'm happy. I gave you shit before, but just hearing you talk about him, I can see how much you care about him. I might not like it, but you're a smart girl, Bella. I'm sure you've thought this through."

I nodded at him gratefully and turned to Rosalie. "What do you think?"

"Of course I support you. You seem pretty realistic about the things you're dealing with. You know that there are huge risks pursuing this relationship because of your jobs. You're aware of the potential ramifications if you are caught, and of what's at stake for Edward because he has a daughter to consider as well. I can't say I'm not concerned, but like Emmett said, you're smart and we trust your judgment."

"The fact that he's your boss . . ." Emmett leaned forward. "I really don't love that. That's sexual harassment, Bella. That's major, major issues for both of you."

"I know that's the way it would look to anyone else," I admitted, "but I swear, I was the one pushing things. Not him."

"Right, but no one else knows that," he said flatly. "You may have been the instigator, but he could still get in trouble for reciprocating and you could have a lawsuit against you because of it. You know I love you, babe, but be careful. I'm not telling you to break it off with Edward. I'm just telling you to keep your hands to yourself at work and watch out. I don't want you to end up in a legal battle or lose your job."

I nodded. "I know."

"I am kinda surprised by Alice's reaction," Rose mused. "I knew she and James were over, and that he was a jackass who completely dicked her over and tried to use her talent to further his career, but she shouldn't be taking that out on you. Edward sounds like a good guy."

"He is," I said earnestly.

"How are you doing with the kid thing?" Rose asked curiously.

I shrugged and relaxed back against the arm of the couch. "She's sixteen, not really a kid, but it's … I don't know. We met once and it didn't go so well, so I'm kinda nervous when it comes to Maggie. But I want to be with Edward, so I'm trying to get more comfortable with it."

"So you haven't spent any time with her?"

"No, not yet. We've been together a little over a month now, but we didn't want to force anything when it came to Maggie."

"That's good." Rose nodded thoughtfully. "I really hope it works out."

"Me, too."

"Let me call Alice and see if I can talk a little sense into her," Rosalie offered.

"I don't want you to feel like you have to get in the middle of this," I protested.

She waved my statement away. "I'm not going to get in the middle. I was planning to call Alice and ask her if she'd be interested in painting a mural for the baby's room anyway. When I do, I'll ask how she's doing and see if it comes up."

"Okay," I agreed reluctantly.

"It'll be okay," Rose reassured me. "I promise; it'll all work out."

"I hope so." I sighed. "I've never felt like this about anybody."

Rose smiled faintly. "I assumed as much. You wouldn't even be trying if he weren't worth it."

"Exactly," I agreed, relieved that although they were being cautious, they supported my choice to be with Edward. It felt good to have someone on our side.

The three of us spent a little more time catching up before they headed back home. I begged Rosalie and Emmett to tell me all the details about the baby. She was due in the spring, and I was eager to be Aunt Bella.

"Can I throw you a shower?" I asked excitedly.

"I'd love that." Rose grinned. "The bachelorette party and bridal shower you threw for me were awesome."

"I am so excited."

By the time they left, I was in a much better mood. Alice and I would work things out. Maybe if she met him at some point, she'd see how good we were together. I sighed when I realized how long that would be. I couldn't wait until I graduated. I texted Edward goodnight before I fell asleep for the night.

**~BtBR**~

I waited until the following weekend to tell Edward about my argument with Alice. We were in bed late Friday night and his body was curled against mine. I dragged my fingers across the soft hair on his forearm which was draped over my mid-section. "Can I talk to you about something?"

"Of course." Edward kissed my shoulder. "You can tell me anything."

"Well, I . . . got in a disagreement with my friend, Alice, last week."

"Okay," he said warily. "What about?"

"About my relationship with you."

He gently tugged me so I was lying on my back. He propped himself up on one elbow and looked down at me, a worried frown creasing his forehead. "I know you said she didn't seem very supportive when you first told her about us; did something else happen?"

"Yeah, this was worse, a lot worse."

He gave me a concerned look. "I'm sorry."

"You don't have to be sorry, Edward. She's dealing with a breakup and took it out on me."

"When did it happen?"

"Sunday night."

"Why didn't you call me?"

"Well, I knew Maggie was here and I didn't want to interrupt your time with her. Besides, you worry enough about our relationship. I didn't want to dump it on you and make you worry more."

He frowned. "Bella, do you feel like you _can't_ talk to me about things?"

"No. Not at all. I just figured I'd wait until I could talk to you in person, and I wasn't feeling so emotional about our argument."

"What did she say, exactly?"

"Well, she called to say hi, and we started talking about my relationship with you. She—" I hesitated. "She refused to even hear my side of things. It was like she had made up her mind about what kind of person you were, and how our relationship would end."

He brushed his thumb across my cheek. "She thinks it's inevitable that it will end?"

"Yes, and she's convinced I'll ruin my career because of it." I sighed. "I know she thought she was doing the right thing by being so blunt with me. She wants to make sure I'm not going into our relationship blindly, but she didn't seem willing to hear what I had to say about it. She went through a really terrible breakup, and what her ex did could have potentially jeopardized her career. I think our situation just hit a little too close to home. I understand that. It was just incredible hurtful."

"I'm sorry," Edward said softly, a worried expression crossing his face. "I don't like to see you so upset about this."

"I appreciate it. It's just difficult because Alice is the one friend I have who knew about our relationship; and with her so vehemently against it …" my voice trailed off.

"That doesn't really leave you with anyone else to turn to, does it? Jesus, I'm sorry, Bella."

"It's okay, Edward," I reassured him. "Alice and I will work it out eventually."

"I hope so." I hesitated for a moment before I spoke again. "And actually, she's not the only person who knows. I called Rose. Do you remember the guy I went out to lunch with?"

He frowned again. "Yes."

"Well Emmett and I have been friends since we were kids and I'm also good friends with his wife, Rose." I winced. "I hope you don't mind that I told them."

"Well, we did agree to keep things between us, but I trust your judgment on that, Bella. I made the call to tell Pat the truth when she told me her suspicions. If you trust your friends, then that's enough for me. I'm certainly not trying to tell you what to do."

"I know. I just worry about the entire situation. We did okay this week, but we need to stay vigilant about how we act at work."

Edward sighed and nodded. "You're right. I just miss you during the week, and it drives me crazy that I can't even look at you the way I want to."

"It drives me crazy, too," I admitted. "It's really frustrating. But what else can we do?"

"I just hope you never feel like it isn't worth it."

"It's worth it. I'm happy, Edward."

"I'm happy, too." He slowly brushed his thumb across my cheek, and his smile was content. "For the first time in a very long time, I'm happy."

**~BtBR~**

Over the next few weeks, Edward and I fell into a routine. We managed to keep our hands off each other at work, and there were no more visits to his office. My feelings for him grew, and I was sure I could see the answering affection in his eyes when we made love or talked quietly in bed. I felt it in the way his arms reluctantly let go of me on Sunday nights when I left, and in his hungry kisses when we were reunited on Friday evenings.

Though things were going well, it wasn't easy. Some mid-week nights when I crawled into my cold, empty bed by myself, I resented the fact that I couldn't just call Edward to come over, or show up at his place. I hated that at work I had to pretend like he meant nothing to me when all I wanted to do was throw myself in his arms and tell everyone how much I loved him. But the weekends together were wonderful, and I loved every moment of them. They solidified my feelings for him, and the foundation of the relationship we were building.

One night, he set up a hammock on the terrace behind the house and there was a fire in the brand-new, shiny copper fire pit. We shared a relaxed dinner and bottle of wine at the table by the fire, and then climbed into the massive hammock. As I slid alongside Edward and rested my head on his chest, I let out a sigh of contentment. I fit perfectly into his arms. I carefully draped my leg over his and he tightened his arm around me, brushing a kiss over the top of my head. Neither of us spoke, not really needing words to convey how happy we both were in that moment. We threaded our fingers together and watched the crackling fire. There was a warm blanket over us, and the cool, fall breeze made the hammock slowly sway. It was the kind of night I'd remember for the rest of my life, and I couldn't help but wonder where Edward and I would end up. I loved him so much, but did we really have a future together? I hoped so, but I really had no idea if we'd realistically be able to make things work.

Edward seemed to love setting up these little evenings for us, dates that we didn't have to leave the house for. Occasionally, I felt guilty, wondering how much he spent on the preparation and felt bad that I couldn't contribute. But, he seemed to really enjoy doing it. His eyes always lit up when I expressed my appreciation and I could tell he liked spoiling me a little.

I liked baking, so I got in the habit of making him something on Thursday nights to bring with me to his place for the weekend. I decided to make my mother's favorite brownie recipe one week, so I called her. I found myself struggling not to tell her about Edward.

"Hey, baby girl." My mom answered the phone.

"Hey, Mom."

"How are you? You never call," she jokingly scolded me.

I winced. "I know. I'm sorry. I've just been busy. It's my last semester of school and they're really piling on the projects." That wasn't really a lie; I _was_ feeling overwhelmed with school, although, I wouldn't have had a problem with it if it hadn't been for the fact that my weekends were taken up by spending time with Edward.

"Just think, you're almost done, though," she said excitedly. "We're so proud of you for how hard you've worked, Bella."

"Thanks, Mom."

"So, what else is new with you? Any boys?"

"Boys? No. No boys right now," I said, knowing I was splitting hairs. No boys, but there was definitely a _man_ in my life. I wasn't ready to tell my mother that yet though.

"Aww, too bad! Well, maybe once school is over."

"You never know," I agreed, giggling.

"Are you sure there isn't anyone?" she said suspiciously. "You sound almost giddy right now."

"There isn't anyone to tell you about," I promised. I dug my fingers into my palm, hating the familiar lies.

"So, to what do I owe the pleasure of a call from my _only_ daughter?" she asked teasingly.

"Oh, I wanted your brownie recipe."

"Sure, baby, I'll email it to you now. The basic one or the one I do with the cream cheese and cherry swirl?"

"Both would be great."

"What are you making them for?"

"Oh, someone at work," I hedged.

"Is it their birthday? Because I have a really good chocolate cake recipe you can have, too," she offered.

"Nope, just thought it would be a nice surprise."

"Okay. Hey, how is Alice doing? Have you guys seen each other lately?"

"Uh, I saw her in August, so it's been a few months. She's been crazy busy and her ex-boyfriend is an ass, so she's been kinda down."

"That's too bad. Send her my love, won't you?"

"I will the next time I talk to her," I said, and wondered when the hell I had gotten so good at skirting the edges of lying. That was certainly one thing I wouldn't miss when Edward and I could be out in the open. I was going to have to apologize to everyone I know for being dishonest.

"Hey, unfortunately, I need to get going. I'm meeting Sue for dinner tonight. Your father has to work, and she and I are going out for a girl's night."

"Oh, that'll be fun," I said. "Tell her I said hi."

Sue and Harry Clearwater were good friends of my parents and I'd known them most of my life.

"I will. Love you, baby. And please, call again soon. We miss you."

"I miss you, too. I love you, Mom."

"And you are coming home for Thanksgiving weekend, right?" she asked.

"I don't know, it's only mid-October; I haven't even thought about the holidays yet."

"Well, let me know."

"I probably will come home, I just hadn't thought about it. Let me get through a few more weeks of school and I'll tell you, okay?"

"Okay. Gotta run. I sent the brownie recipes, check your inbox. Love you, Bella."

I laughed and returned the sentiment again before hanging up the phone. Sure enough, the recipe was in my inbox.

I carried my laptop into my kitchen and poked around, looking for all of the ingredients. Miraculously, I had all of them to make the cherry, cream cheese brownies, and I got to work baking. I had just finished mixing up the batter and was swirling the cherries and cream cheese into the pan, when my phone rang.

I quickly licked the finger I'd been using to scrape the cream cheese off the knife and answered it.

"Are you on a break?" I asked, recognizing Edward's number. He had gone to an all-day conference in Portland, and I hadn't expected to hear from him until much later that night.

"No, we got out early. The afternoon speaker's flight got delayed in Atlanta and he wasn't able to make his connecting flight."

"Oh, good! How was the rest of it?" I asked, slipping the pan of brownies into the oven and setting the timer.

"It was fine. Most of it was boring, but there were a few good lectures."

"Could have been worse then," I said.

"Absolutely. How was your day?"

I shrugged, even though he couldn't see me, and leaned against the counter. "Boring. There weren't any hot executives to stare at today. They were all at some stupid conference."

He chuckled. "Is any particular one your favorite?"

"Oh, there's this one," I teased. "He's really hot. I've heard he's great in bed, and that he does really sweet things for his girlfriend. She sounds pretty lucky."

I could hear the smile in his voice as he responded. "Well, I know for a fact that she's a really incredible woman and he feels lucky to have found her."

I swallowed hard, really wanting to tell him right then and there that I loved him. But over the phone wasn't the right way to do it. "It sounds like it's mutual."

"It really is," he agreed and paused a moment before he spoke again. "I just had a thought. I'm not far from your side of town. Maggie isn't expecting me home for another hour and a half or so, do you want me to swing by your place. It's a little risky, but I'd really love to see you tonight."

"Uhh, sure," I said hesitantly. I wanted to see him, but I was dressed in nothing but panties and a T-shirt, my hair was wadded up on the top of my head, and my apartment was kind of a mess. Still, I couldn't turn down seeing Edward on a Thursday night. I rattled off my address and apartment number and hung up the phone. I scrambled to clean up the scattered papers from school on the coffee table and pick up the dirty laundry on the floor of my bedroom. I was home so little, and so busy when I was there that I'd let things slide lately. I'd just pulled the brownies out of the oven and I was smoothing down my hair into a neater bun when the knock came at the door.

I rose on my tiptoes, peered through the peephole, before eagerly letting Edward in. He looked a little tired, but happy, and I closed the door behind him. "Hey," I said nervously, wondering what he thought about my place, but he didn't take his eyes off me.

"Missed you." He brushed his lips against mine and the kiss immediately deepened. His hands ran down my back to slide under the shirt I was wearing, cupping my ass and crushing me against him. His mouth was hungry and eager, and I felt the same rush of arousal I always felt when he touched me.

"Missed you, too," I said breathlessly as he backed me up against the counter. He lifted me up onto it and slid his hands up my thighs, pausing halfway.

"I feel like a pervert finding you so sexy like this. You look even younger."

I flushed self-consciously. "You took me by surprise; I didn't really have time to get ready. My apartment isn't usually such a mess."

Edward's gaze swept across the room and returned to me. "I wasn't finding fault. Just trying to reconcile how young you actually are with how mature you act. And I couldn't care less about your apartment. I care about _you_."

"I care about you, too," I said emphatically.

Once again, we kissed heatedly, lips and tongues meeting in frantic need. He leaned forward, his hand sliding up under my shirt to push my panties aside and I was reminded of the time we had done this in the break room.

"This is so much better this time," he said roughly, his mouth moving down my neck to take little nips with his teeth. He was clearly thinking the same thing I was. "We can be as loud as we want."

I threaded my hands through his hair and moaned loudly as two fingers slid through my wetness and pushed into me. He slowly fucked me with them and my hand slid through his hair, tightening as the pleasure built and built. "I need you inside of me," I pleaded.

He withdrew his hand and I leaned back to rest on my hands as he licked his fingers clean. It killed me when he did that. I whimpered and his eyes locked on mine as he stripped out of his suit jacket and tossed it on the stool by the counter. His jaw clenched and I groaned at the sight of his eyes burning with desire as he unbuttoned his shirt. I shifted on the counter; so, so ready for him. I lifted my shirt a little and touched my pussy while his button-down joined the suit jacket. He kicked off his shoes and socks, his eyes never leaving my body. He watched as I slipped two of my fingers inside of me, as he unfastened and dropped his pants and boxer briefs to the floor. He was so hard for me and I wet my lips at the sight of him naked.

"You're beautiful like that," he whispered hoarsely. I swallowed hard, my hand stilling as he stalked toward me. I sat up, and with a quick movement, my shirt was sailing to the floor. His hands grasped my underwear and helped me shimmy out of them. He parted my thighs and sank into me, his face a mask of agonized pleasure. "So good."

My eyes fluttered shut for a moment as I lay back on the counter. The cool surface chilled my back, even as his heated length retreated and then pushed back into me. He leaned forward, his hands coming to rest on the counter on either side of my waist, his head dropping forward as he thrust within me.

"I missed you," he said hoarsely. "I missed this."

I ran my hands through his hair and he turned, kissing my palm. "I missed you, too," I whispered.

He thrust into me with slow, deep strokes, our bodies moving together sinuously. Every nerve ending in me tingled, feeling alive and sensitized. The pace slowly picked up and heat began to build, our skin becoming slick with sweat.

"Christ," he muttered. "You feel so good."

He pulled back until the tip of his cock rested just inside my entrance. One hand moved to where we were joined, his fingers skillfully stimulating my clit. I threw my head back as my orgasm washed over me so quick I was caught off guard. I gasped in surprise, my hand grabbing his as my body shook and shuddered against him. He groaned and plunged back into me, trapping our hands between our bodies, his fingers never stopping. We were both eager and desperate and we sped up, his hips moving faster and faster against mine. I slipped from one orgasm into the next with only the briefest pause between.

"Edward," I called out as the second one hit and I heard him groan in response. I tightened around him and he braced his arm against the countertop. His hips snapped forward as he shuddered against me. My head swam as we both panted harshly. Edward's head dropped forward, his soft hair brushing my chest as I threaded my fingers through the chaotic strands. It wasn't until we had both calmed that he lifted his head. He slipped his arm between my back and the counter, our lower halves still connected as he lifted me to his lips. He kissed me deeply and we took a while to softly touch each other, coming down from the incredible, frantic sex. He nuzzled along my jaw with his nose and whispered sweetly in my ear how glad he was to see me and how good I felt. I reciprocated, telling him I'd missed him, thanking him for the way he made me feel.

I knew we were both dancing around an unspoken I love you, but I didn't push it. When it felt right, I'd know. For now, this was enough. Whatever we had to face in the future, I could hold this feeling close and know that we were in this together.

* * *

**Notes: **Mixed opinions on Alice's reaction from the pre-readers and betas. What do you guys think? Was Alice out of line? Or did she have some valid points about how risky Bella's relationship with Edward is?

And how did you like Edward's surprise visit?

Please stop by to chat or look for teasers in the following places:

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	14. Chapter 14 - The Cafe

**Notes: **Huge thanks to my pre-readers: Deb Arrington, Mandi Niko, and Jules Twifanawesomesox; my beta: Alice's White Rabbit; and my Validation beta: Kherisma.

All of you owe a debt of gratitude toward the fabulous Alice's White Rabbit. Last week I ran into a snag in the plot and was starting to wonder if I was going to be able to pull this story off. Thanks to her guidance, I got back on track, we laid down a solid outline for the rest of the story and I feel GREAT about the way this story is going to go. The ideas she helped me brainstorm were even better than what I originally had in mind, and I am eager to finish writing it and get it posted for you.

So send Alice's White Rabbit a little love, because she deserves it!

* * *

**Chapter 14: The Cafe**

Eventually, we slid apart and Edward helped me down from the counter. I glanced up, my breath catching at the sight of him. He was the most incredible man I had ever come across, and I felt incredibly lucky we had been given this chance to be together. I was falling so hard, and yet, it felt completely natural. How could I _not_ fall in love with Edward?

He leaned against the counter and smiled at me before glancing at the clock on the wall. "I have about forty-five minutes before I head out. What should we do?"

"Do you have time to shower with me?" I asked.

"Sure," he agreed.

"It's really small," I warned him as he followed me down the hall. We managed to squeeze into my tiny shower and while it was a snug fit, neither of us complained. It was definitely too small to do anything besides wash off, but it was nice to hold each other close while we kissed slowly. Our slick, soapy hands caressed each other's bodies, although, the touches never got too heated.

After the shower, we went into the kitchen to retrieve our clothing and get dressed. He pulled on his boxer briefs and suit pants, but when he went to put on the white T-shirt he'd worn as an undershirt, he paused. "I think I'd like to see you wear this."

"Yeah?" He nodded, grinning. He helped me put it on and his hands slid down my back to pull me close to him. "You like me in your clothes, huh?"

"Mmmhmm. There's just something about knowing you're wearing _my_ shirt."

I liked wearing it, too, especially because it smelled like him. "I'll bring it back this weekend."

"Keep it," he said, "if you want."

"Absolutely, and I'll wear it to bed tonight," I promised, splaying my hands across his bare chest. "It'll make my bed just a little less lonely."

Edward's hands moved in slow, sweeping strokes up and down my back. His eyes crinkled warmly and he leaned in to brush a kiss across my lips. "I know how you feel. I used to do all of the laundry on Sundays but I've taken to changing the sheets Friday mornings. That way they smell like you all week when I have to make do without you."

I grabbed the back of his head and brought his lips down to mine, kissing him deeply. We kissed for a few minutes before I reluctantly let him go. I was just about to say goodbye when I remembered something.

"I made brownies," I blurted out, wanting to delay him just a little bit longer. His eyes lit up. He had _such_ a sweet tooth. "I was going to bring them to your place tomorrow, but you can have one now, if you want."

"I noticed something smelled good when I came in," he teased. "Though I thought it was just you."

I giggled. "I don't smell like chocolate, Edward."

He tugged me tighter against him and dipped his head to skim his nose along my neck. "You _do_ smell delicious though."

I moaned quietly and gently pushed at his chest, knowing that if I didn't stop him, we'd both get worked up again. "C'mon, let me get you a brownie."

He let go of me and finished dressing as I grabbed a knife for the brownies. They were still a little warm, but cool enough to cut and eat. I pulled out a couple of glasses, filled them with milk, and put two brownies on a plate.

I turned to see Edward tightening the knot in his tie. I was a little disappointed I'd missed watching him dress. The only thing hotter than a man taking a suit _off,_ was watching one put a suit _on_. He smoothed his tie down and looked up at me.

He looked good. He always did. But there was something about seeing him here, in my apartment, that made my heart beat faster. Sure, maybe my apartment was nothing that special and I didn't have much space, but it was home. _My_ home.

"What is that look for?" he asked. "You seem very thoughtful all of a sudden."

"I like seeing you here."

He nodded and walked over to where I was standing. "I'm glad the conference got out early. It feels good to _be with you_ somewhere other than my place."

"It does," I agreed.

"Well, if I ever have the opportunity to come over here again, I'll do everything I can to make sure it happens."

"I'd like that." I lifted the brownie from the plate on the counter beside me and held it up to him. "Want one before you head out?"

"Absolutely."

He took a bite and actually moaned at the taste. A pleased grin crossed my face. Baking for him was one way I could spoil him and I loved every second of it. Sometimes, I felt like I didn't do enough for him … or at least not _as much_ as I wanted to. "This is so good. Are those cherries swirled in here?"

"Mmhmm. My mom's recipe: cherries and cream cheese. I'm glad you like them." I offered him the brownie again and he took another bite. "She asked me about coming home for Thanksgiving. I can't believe how soon that's coming up."

"Hmm, that's right. Halloween is in a few weeks and then Thanksgiving always seems to be just around the corner after that."

"Yeah, the time is going quickly," I admitted. "Classes are killing me this semester. I'm ready to be done."

He took a sip of milk, picked up the second brownie, and offered it to me with a smile. "Well, you do realize you're about halfway there, right? The semester ends in mid-December, doesn't it?"

I nodded, taking a bite of the brownie "Yes."

"Well, it's mid-October now. We've managed to keep things under wraps—aside from Pat and your friends—for two months. So you're halfway to graduation, which means _we're_ halfway to going public."

I grinned. "You're right. I hadn't even thought about that. It kind of puts it in perspective, doesn't it?"

"Absolutely," he agreed. He finished feeding me the brownie and we drank our milk. I felt warmth in my chest at the thought that he'd been thinking about our future together, and clearly had been thinking about it for a while. Knowing that we were halfway through this made it seem so much more bearable.

"I know you had some concerns before about me talking to Jasper about a job, but how do you feel about it now? I'd be happy to talk to Jasper, but only if you're comfortable with it."

"As long as you're talking to him about my interest in a position in Marketing without him knowing about our relationship," I replied. "I know it seems stupid, it's just really important to me that I earn this on my own merit, not because my boyfriend is asking for a favor."

"I understand." He kissed me on the forehead. "I think it's admirable, really. I'll just casually mention to him that someone in my department is interested in going into marketing. We'll go from there. Actually, I'll probably wait until sometime in November, if that's okay with you. I'll start putting feelers out then, and suggest he take a look at your file. I don't want to do it too early and have him forget since you're a ways out from graduation still."

"That sounds good." I paused, a thought occurring to me. "Do you think it'll be a problem later? If he hires me and then finds out that we didn't tell him about our relationship?"

"No." Edward shook his head. "Jasper will take a look at your HR file, talk to your manager and director about your work history, and review your transcripts from school. If he hires you, it'll be because you were qualified for the job. My opinion on you will only be a small factor. And he'll understand why we chose not to tell him. We're keeping our relationship out of the office so to speak. It's professional and Jasper will respect that."

"I hope so."

"Trust me; I know Jasper."

I nodded. "I do trust you. I'm just nervous."

"I understand," he said softly. "There's a lot we have to deal with. But I think all things considered, it is going well."

"I do, too," I agreed.

He pulled me closer and kissed me softly. "I should head home."

"Okay," I agreed, secretly wishing I could beg him to stay. He smiled as if he understood my internal struggle.

"Have a good night," he said.

"You, too. I'll see you tomorrow?"

"Yes. You're coming over after work like usual, right?" he asked.

"Yep. I might need to work on some schoolwork this weekend though," I warned him.

"That's fine as long as I can spend the time with you." He wrapped me in a hug, gave me a last lingering kiss, and let me go. We were walking away from the kitchen when an idea popped into my head.

"Um, how would you feel about me wrapping up some brownies for you to take home to Maggie," I asked. I had been planning to bring them to his place after work tomorrow, but if I sent some home with him tonight, Maggie could enjoy them.

A pleased look crossed his face. "That's a great idea."

"Do you think she'll like them?"

"Of course she will."

"I don't suppose Heidi did much baking, did she?"

He scoffed. "Hardly. I doubt a brownie has passed her lips since she was in college. And she certainly never made them herself. Maggie has a sweet tooth like I do, though. She'll love them."

I went back to the kitchen, cut several brownies, put them on a plate, and wrapped them neatly in foil. Edward was by the door and I handed them to him with a smile. "I can't believe I'm trying to bribe your daughter to like me with chocolate."

He chuckled. "Well, it's worth trying. It's going to take time, but she'll come around. I promise."

"Okay," I said, hoping that he was right. Brownies weren't much, but they were a start. Maybe a friendly gesture on my part would help the situation.

Edward left after another kiss, and I closed and locked the door behind him. In less than twenty-four hours, we'd be together again. With his shirt covering me, and the memory of his lips on mine, the whole world seemed much brighter.

**~BtBR~**

The weekend with Edward was as wonderful as always. Now that we realized we were nearly to the halfway point in keeping our relationship a secret—assuming I could get a job in Marketing immediately after graduation—some of the stress we'd been dealing with had melted away. I had no doubts about wanting to be with him, but it was emotionally draining to keep our relationship a secret and lie to the people I cared about. The reminder that there would be an end to the secrets and lies spurred us both on and made it a little easier to continue.

Edward was lighthearted and some of his insecurity over our relationship seemed to have been put aside, as well. I wasn't sure if it was the growing emotional intimacy between us. Or, if it was the fact that he was reassured by our discussion about my plans for getting a new job. But whatever the cause, it was a relief. I knew there was a chance it would come up again, but it felt good to enjoy our time together without those worries looming over us.

The weekend began on a great note. Edward's Friday night surprise was homemade Italian food for dinner and a movie night. He set up comfortable cushions in front of the TV in the living room, and we watched movies while sprawled out on the floor.

On Saturday, I studied and Edward worked. We were slipping into a routine that was comfortable, but rather than feeling as though it was boring, I relished in it. The tentative awkwardness that had been there at the beginning was gone. I felt comfortable with my place in Edward's home, and I was beginning to feel comfortable with my place in his life even if things with Maggie weren't there yet.

It was the small things: the way he lightly trailed his fingers across my arm as he walked by me to grab something off the bookshelf, when I ventured into the kitchen to rummage through his cupboards to make myself a pot of tea without even thinking twice. I realized how secure I felt with where we stood. His unconscious touches and the way I no longer hesitated to make myself comfortable in his home made me feel like I belonged there.

There was only one dim spot in the entire two days, and it was that Maggie had vehemently refused to even try the brownies I'd sent. Edward explained apologetically and I sighed. I was disappointed, but not entirely surprised. It was going to take more than a couple of brownies to win Maggie over. Still, I'd tried, and I'd try again.

"I promise they won't go to waste though," Edward said. "I'll eat them."

"That's so sweet of you," I teased.

He groaned. "If I'm not careful though, I'm going to be very out of shape for soccer season in the spring. Your baking is too good."

"Well, it seems to me that if you need more exercise, I can help you out with that," I joked.

Unsurprisingly, he took me up on my suggestion and dragged me up to bed—not that I protested.

On Sunday, I left Edward's a little early. I needed to drop things off at my apartment before going to a meeting for a group project at a local café. The project was a very large portion of our final grade. I texted Edward when I got there and was staring at his response when my classmate, Angela, sat down next to me. She wasn't a close friend, but she was someone I got along well with. We usually talked during breaks and before and after class. I was glad she was one of the people I'd be working with.

"Boyfriend?" she asked with a smile, gesturing to my phone.

I grinned back. "Yes. He's being sweet. I left his place a little while ago and he already misses me."

"Aww, that is sweet," Angela said. "I love my boyfriend but he's just … not good at that sort of thing. I dunno, he's a nice guy, and he tries, but he just doesn't get it, you know? He doesn't understand that sometimes a quick note saying that he's thinking about me goes a long way. I know he cares, but he doesn't show it very well."

I nodded sympathetically. "I've dated a few guys like that before."

"Your current boyfriend, uh, what's his name?"

"Anthony," I said after hesitating for a moment. Sometimes it was so difficult to keep straight who I could be honest with and who I had to lie to. _You're halfway there, Bella_, I reminded myself. _This is difficult, but you can do it._

"Right. Anthony. He's good at that sort of thing?"

"He is."

"What's the secret?" she asked eagerly, leaning in.

I chuckled and shrugged. "Well, he's older. I think his life experience has made him appreciate what we have more."

"How _much_ older?" she asked curiously.

"Well, I'm twenty-three, and he's, uh, thirty-nine," I said hesitantly.

There was no disguising the look of surprise on her face. "Whoa, that _is_ older."

I winced, reminded of the fight with Alice and hoping that Angela was a bit more open-minded.

"I'm sorry," she added hastily. "You just kind of shocked me. When you said older, I expected you to say late twenties, early thirties."

"Understandable."

She giggled. "My dad is forty-two. My parents had kids super young, and I'm the youngest. So you said thirty-nine and I think dad, not boyfriend."

"I probably wouldn't have thought of him as someone to date if he weren't so hot," I admitted. "But once we started dating, we just … clicked, I guess. The age thing _is_ weird sometimes, but we're dealing with it. I think it's part of why we work so well though. I can't explain it exactly—but it's definitely _way_ different than any other relationship I've ever had."

"I'm happy for you," she said sincerely. "And maybe if things don't work out with Ben, I'll have to give older guys a chance." She winked and I relaxed, glad to see that not everyone out there frowned on the age gap between Edward and I.

The rest of our group arrived and discussion began. I couldn't afford to get distracted and screw up my grade. Thankfully, skipping class the week before to discuss Pat knowing our secret hadn't affected my exam grade. But I knew I needed to be vigilant from here on out. I was so close to the semester being over. I just wanted to finish with a high GPA so I could get a good job in a different department quickly, and Edward and I could move forward.

After the meeting finally wrapped up, the conversation devolved into a debate about the merits of X-Box vs. PlayStation, and I excused myself. Angela did, as well, and we walked out of the café together following behind two random college-age boys. I found myself listening to their conversation.

"So, you should have been at the party the other night, man," the dark-haired guy said.

"Why?" the blond asked.

"Totally epic fight. Tyler wanted to impress Lauren, so he and Eric cooked up this plan to get in a fake fight that Tyler would 'win.' Only Eric got pissed when Tyler sucker-punched him, and it turned into a real fight. Tyler had a broken nose and Eric had a black eye by the time it finally broke up. And that was because someone called the cops."

"Oh, man, that is epic. That would have been sweet. Totally wish I'd seen that."

"It didn't even work," the first guy scoffed. "Guess who Lauren went home with that night? Me!"

The guys fist-bumped before veering off to the right, while Angela and I headed left toward the parking lot. I turned to look at her and her expression mirrored the way I felt.

"Yeah, and just think, you could be dating _that_." She shook her head disgustedly. "Older men are _definitely_ the way to go."

With a laugh, I agreed, and said goodnight to Angela. The guys I'd dated previously had certainly been better than the two idiots we'd overheard, but Edward was in a whole different category from all of them. I felt so fortunate to have met him.

**~BtBR~**

When I got home later that evening, I found my thoughts straying to Alice as I made myself a simple chicken stir-fry for dinner. It had been a week since our fight, and she hadn't contacted me. Granted, I hadn't contacted her, either. I was still thinking about it as I ate and washed the dishes after. If she wouldn't make the first step to repair our friendship, I would. She mattered too much to me to let something like this come between us. My friendship with Alice was important to me, and although I knew it would be a difficult conversation, I didn't want to wait any longer.

I'd spoken to Rose earlier in the week, and unfortunately, Alice hadn't brought up the fight when Rose asked how she was. I did appreciate that Rose hadn't forced the conversation—there was no reason for her to get in the middle of this any more than she already was.

I curled up on the couch and pushed my nerves aside, deciding I'd just go ahead and call Alice. I almost thought she wasn't going to answer, when the phone rang over and over. She picked up just as I expected it to go to voicemail.

"Hello," she said quietly.

"Hey, Alice."

We were both silent for a long moment. I took a deep breath and forced myself to continue. "I'm sorry that we fought last weekend. I said some things that I regret."

She sighed. "I did, too. I—" She hesitated "—I worry about you, Bella. But you were partially right. I did let my feelings about James cloud things."

"You really hurt me," I said softly, tears making my voice husky. "You had some valid points. I can admit that. But you were kind of nasty to me."

"I was," she admitted. "And I'm sorry. Really, Bella, I am."

"Thank you," I said, a sigh of relief leaving me. "I am sorry, too."

I hesitated for a moment, and then asked the question that was bothering me. "Do you really believe Edward is like James?"

"I don't know," she said honestly. "I just know that I let myself get into a bad relationship with someone and he took advantage of me. It could have ruined my career. I just wanted to warn you to keep your eyes open and be sure that you protect yourself."

"I'm sorry, Alice. I'm sorry that happened, and that James was such a dick."

She chuckled sadly. "Believe me, so am I. Just promise me you'll be careful with Edward and you won't give up your goals just to be with him."

"I trust him and I'm going to graduate and get a degree in my field."

"I trusted James, too," she said, and I could hear the tears in her voice. "I loved him and trusted him, and he betrayed that. It would kill me if you got hurt the way I did, especially if there was something I could have done to stop it from happening. I'm not saying Edward is like James. You may be right that he's a great guy and would never intentionally hurt you. But I thought James was like that, too. Just … Just think about the fact that it's easy to fall in love with someone and become blind to their faults."

I sniffled and grabbed a tissue from the side table. "I hate that he did that to you, Alice. You've always been such a sweet, trusting person and it really makes me sad that you aren't now."

She broke down sobbing and I let her cry for a while, feeling awful for saying something that hurt her so much. When she finally composed herself a little, I told her. "I am so sorry, Alice. I'll go punch him in the nads for you," I offered.

"I almost want to take you up on that." She giggled through her tears before her voice grew serious again. "Just promise me that you'll think about what I said. Not the nasty things, but the warning. I want to be wrong about this. I want to believe you when you say that Edward is an amazing guy and would never, ever hurt you. I just can't quiet the worry that you're putting yourself in a situation that isn't good for you. I worry that you're risking your entire future for a guy who might end up not being worth it."

"I _will_ think about it, I promise."

"Good." She paused for a moment. "I think maybe I'm jealous, too."

"Jealous?"

"Yeah. Jealous that you are so happy with this guy. I mean, it's really hard to be single again after being in a relationship for over a year. And maybe I'm resentful that no one warned me about James."

"Alice, you never even invited me to meet him," I pointed out. "Frankly, I didn't think you guys were that serious."

"It was subtle, but he managed to isolate me from my friends. He didn't want to meet anyone. He hardly even spent time with my parents, and we were practically living together. We might have still had our individual places, but we were together constantly. And yet, somehow, he made me feel like he was being sweet by wanting to stay in all the time. He made me feel like it was because he couldn't get enough of me, not because he was afraid that everyone would see him for who he actually was and what he was doing."

"That sounds abusive, Alice," I said, horrified by what she was describing.

"I guess it was," she admitted. "Or at least borderline. It was all very subtle and clever. But he certainly didn't respect me. And it scares me a lot that I let him do that to me. You know me, I've never been a shrinking violet, but I let who I really was slip away just because I was with him."

Alice's words were chilling. I had no doubts that Edward was nothing like James, but it was a reminder of how much a relationship could change the way a person behaved. No matter how in love with Edward I was, Alice had some good points. It reinforced the need to be especially wary of the way we behaved at work. I would be very disappointed in myself if I harmed my career because I was blinded by my relationship with Edward.

Alice and I talked for quite a while longer. She clearly needed to get some things off her chest, and I was happy to listen. Reassured that I was at least taking her warnings seriously, she listened as I told her a little more about Edward. She was still wary about trusting him, but even she admitted that his actions seemed to mesh with the way he said he felt about me. We promised to talk more often and I swore to her that I wasn't just blindly falling into a relationship. She even agreed to meet Edward, when we could find the time. By the end of the conversation, I felt like we'd both found some common ground and things were resolved when I finally hung up.

I texted Rose to let her know that Alice and I had worked things out, and then called Edward and told him about the conversation.

"You do trust me, don't you, Bella?" he asked, sounding worried. "You don't worry that I'm anything like Alice's ex-boyfriend, do you?"

"No," I assured him. "But I understand why she's worried. And I don't want to let my friendships fall apart because she and I are fighting over my relationship with you."

"I want so much to be something good in your life, Bella. I hope you know that. I want to be someone who supports you and makes you happy."

"You are," I reassured him. "And I want to be that for you, too. But I also want to be sure that we don't end up hurting ourselves or anyone else in the process. I don't want our happiness together to come at the expense of your relationship with Maggie, or my relationship with my friends."

"I don't either," he admitted. "This is all a balancing act. But we'll make it, Bella; I want to believe that. We _have_ to believe that."

"I do, too," I said firmly.

I would keep Alice's warnings in mind. No good would come of refusing to heed her warning of the potential disasters that could await us. But not having faith that this would work out would only damage the relationship before it could progress any further. I loved Edward, and I believed he loved me, too. It was no small feat, but all we could do was continue to move forward carefully. The challenges wouldn't _all_ end in two months, but some of them would. And we'd tackle them as they came at us. Together.

* * *

**Notes: **Well, I don't know about you, but I think they are both feeling a lot better about the challenges they have to face. It seems like they are both feeling more confident about their relationship. Alice and Bella patched things up, and Bella made a small gesture toward Maggie.

What do _you_ think of the chapter? As always, I am eager to hear your thoughts!

The next chapter is Halloween and I have a surprise in store for you! Do think it's going to be a trick or a treat? Something naughty or something nice?

Please stop by to chat or look for teasers in the following places:

**Facebook:** www*facebook*com/DiscordiaWriter

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	15. Chapter 15 - The Front Porch

**Notes: **Huge thanks to my pre-readers: Deb Arrington, Mandi Niko, and Jules Twifanawesomesox; my beta: Alice's White Rabbit; and my Validation beta: Kherisma.

I hope I didn't scare you with my last note. This story was _never_ in any danger of not being continued. I'd never do that to you guys. I just hit a point where I didn't know _how_ to continue it. But thanks to Alice's White Rabbit we're good to go!

Here is a rather big chapter for you all. At the end of the last chapter I asked if you thought it was going to be a trick or a treat, something naughty or something nice. The truth is, it's a little bit of everything, and I don't think you'll be disappointed in that at all!

* * *

**Chapter 15: The Front Porch**

The following two weeks flew by and I found it getting a little easier to compartmentalize my feelings for Edward when I was at work. I wasn't sure it would ever be _easy_, but it became tolerable. Of course, I still felt a pull to touch him, but it wasn't quite as torturous to greet him politely. His cool demeanor softened to one of friendly but polite indifference. It was for the best, his cold treatment of me might have drawn as much attention to us as his warmth. Instead, we found a balance, and it grew easier every day.

It seemed hard to believe, but before I knew it, it was Halloween. Earlier that week, Edward had asked me if I wanted to help him hand out candy since it fell on a Saturday night.

"_You don't have plans with Maggie?"_

"_No. She's at Heidi's, and she and some friends are going trick-or-treating. I know she seems a little old for it, but they all love dressing up. Most of the candy gets donated to the Peds floor at the hospital anyway."_

_I laughed, a little surprised. In my mind, I'd built Maggie up to be incredibly selfish. Her doing something so altruistic seemed surprising. Then again, she was Edward's daughter and I knew how hard he'd worked to try to make sure she wasn't spoiled. The two encounters I'd had so far with her hadn't been pleasant, but I knew I needed to cut her some slack. Divorce wasn't easy, and it had to be difficult seeing your parents dating new people._

"_She's much nicer than I am," I admitted. "My friends and I went trick-or-treating all through high school, and we kept all of it."_

_Edward chuckled. "It was something we started when she was young. Our reasons for doing it were different; Heidi was concerned about her eating that much candy, and I was trying to teach her about charity. That gesture at least seems to have stuck, though. The girls tell everyone what they're doing and people are often very generous."_

"_That sounds like fun."_

I was currently in Edward's bathroom getting ready. I was concerned about going overboard with a costume, but I wanted something fun to wear. I'd scoured thrift stores before finally coming across a gorgeous white lace dress. It looked like it was from the 1960s; short, with long sleeves and a shallow scooped neckline. It was in beautiful shape and careful hand-washing made it ready to wear. A sexy, nude lace bra and matching thong, along with white thigh-highs and stiletto heels were for Edward to enjoy later.

The crowning touch, so to speak, was a delicate gold halo and a pair of fluffy white angel wings. I styled my hair in large, tousled waves and went for heavy dark eyeliner and shimmery nude lips.

Edward was sitting on the edge of the bed when I walked out of the bathroom. He rose to his feet, his eyes never leaving me. "Christ, you look …" he shook his head as his voice trailed off. "There are no words."

"You like?" I spun in a slow circle, and he swallowed audibly.

"Very much."

I frowned at him playfully. "And where is your costume?"

He gestured to the suit and tie he was wearing. "Right here. Can't you tell I'm a very important person?"

I snorted. "You are so full of it."

"I could be a Vice President of a hospital."

I shook my head and laughed. "Come on. That's the best you can do? You're just a man in a suit." I stepped closer, running my hands over his shoulders. "A very hot man in a suit though."

"Yeah?" His green eyes twinkled down at me.

"Mmmhmm. You know how much seeing you in a suit turns me on."

"Why do you think I wore it?" He gave me a crooked grin. "I have to confess, I had no idea what you would be wearing. I'm not sure any of the things I imagined came anywhere close to what you went with."

He claimed my mouth with a deep, searing kiss but the moment was interrupted by the insistent chime of the doorbell. He tore his lips away from mine with a regretful groan. "I forgot about trick-or-treaters. I'm sorry, Bella. If we don't go down now, they'll never stop ringing the bell."

I pouted and gripped his lapel more tightly. "But I want you so much."

"Later," he promised. "I don't want any interruptions. Tonight I'll make it up to you, I promise."

I reluctantly agreed when the bell rang again. I let him go with one last deep kiss. I took a few minutes to make sure that Edward's passionate kisses hadn't mussed my hair and makeup too much.

When I went downstairs, Edward was outside on the porch. He had unearthed some candles and lanterns from somewhere, and lit them. They gave a warm glow to everything and I settled down in a chair next to Edward, mindful of the wings I was wearing. It wasn't exactly warm out, but it wasn't horribly cold either and the crisp fall air felt good. It wasn't long before the trick-or-treaters began to arrive and we spent the next hour handing out candy and admiring the costumes. Edward seemed to genuinely enjoy himself, and I did, too. He was good with kids; drawing out the shy ones and making each of them feel like their costume was the most unique one he had ever seen. It was a sweet, light-hearted side of him that I'd never seen before.

We were both surprised by the car that pulled into the driveway, and the four giggling teenage girls who spilled out of it. "What is she doing here?" Edward asked, sounding puzzled and a little anxious. We both stood up, and my stomach twisted with nerves at the sight of Edward's daughter. I really wanted this encounter with her to go better than the one prior.

"Hey, Dad!" Maggie called out, jogging up the driveway ahead of her friends. She was dressed as a classic vampire, complete with long, flowing black dress, chalk-white makeup, fangs, and fake blood. It was impossible to disguise her copper curls, though, even in the dim light. Her steps slowed as she caught sight of me. A pouty, petulant look crossed her face as she walked over to us.

"You look great. I like the costume," Edward said and held out an arm to her, giving her a one-armed hug.

"Thanks." I could hear the irritation in her voice as she glanced over at me. The other three girls stopped halfway down the sidewalk; one dressed as a ladybug, another as a gypsy, and a third in a princess costume.

"Did you forget something?" Edward asked.

"No, I just came by to say hi and show you my costume. I didn't know _she_ was going to be here." She shot me a hateful look and I tried not to wince.

His voice was firm. "Maggie, I expect you to be civil. Bella was here for the weekend and she's helping me hand out candy. Will you at least acknowledge her politely?"

"Hi, Maggie. It's nice to see you again." I tried to make my voice as warm as possible, but it was clear she had no interest in talking to me.

"Hi," she said petulantly before turning back to him.

Edward frowned, but didn't comment. "Are you girls having fun?"

Her face lit up for a moment. "Oh, my gosh, so much fun. We got so much candy to take to the hospital tomorrow."

Edward waved at the three girls still waiting on the sidewalk. "Your costumes look good, girls!"

They giggled and preened and I had the overwhelming urge to find the nearest flat surface and bang my head against it. Great. Maggie's sixteen-year-old friends had a crush on Edward. Well, _that_ wasn't awkward _at all_. It wasn't particularly surprising, but it made me uncomfortable. Judging from the expression on Maggie's face, it was one thing we had in common.

"Ugh." She rolled her eyes at them. "Anyway, we're headed back to Lauren's house. Jess and Amy and I are all spending the night. Mom said it was okay."

Edward raised an eyebrow. "Are her parents home?"

"Yes, Dad."

"Boys coming over?"

"No, I swear. Just us girls. The same sleepover we've done for _years_. And we'll drop off the candy at the hospital tomorrow."

"Okay. Have fun."

She squealed and hugged him, but when her eyes passed over me, they narrowed. Edward didn't see it, and I tried to brush it off. He hugged her back and kissed the top of her head. "Let me go get Jess some money for gas for tonight since she's the one driving."

"You're awesome," she gushed. He disappeared inside to get his wallet and her hateful glare returned.

"I don't know what you're still doing here, but if you're after his money, you need to give up," she said coldly.

"I'm not after his money, I promise," I reassured her.

"You better not be. I'll make you regret it." It was a little hard to take her threat seriously, pissed off expression aside, she was dressed in a vampire costume, and lisping a little from the fangs.

I looked her in the eye and calmly spoke. "I know this is uncomfortable for you, it is for me, too. But I care about your dad. I'm not going anywhere, and I'd really like it if we could get to know each other. It would make him happy."

She scoffed and rolled her eyes. "You aren't going to be around long enough for it to matter. Jess's dad totally fucked some college chick after his divorce, too. What do you think's going to happen? You're going to be my stepmother? _Right_. Give up now. I'm way more important to him than you are, and he'd never pick you over me."

"Maggie, I don't _want_ him to pick me over you. He's your father, of course you come first. But we're happy together and I think he'd really like it if we were at least civil to each other."

"You look like a total tramp." Her eyes raked across my body scornfully. "I'm sure my mother will love to hear about this."

I winced, and her eyes gleamed, knowing she'd found something that had hit a nerve. I cursed myself for letting her discover that weakness. She opened her mouth to speak but Edward walked out the door before she could.

"Sorry, Maggie. The phone rang while I was upstairs. Here's a twenty for Jess, and another for you, if you guys want to order pizza or something tonight. I'll see you tomorrow, okay?"

"Thanks, Dad. You're totally awesome!" She grinned at him and threw her arms around him, kissing his cheek before running off to join her friends.

_Jesus, the girl could go from sweet as sugar to hateful and back again in no time at all,_ I thought. Her mood swings were giving me whiplash.

"Night, Mags. Have fun, and be careful," Edward called out to her.

"I will," she replied, waving goodbye.

I didn't even bother to say anything to her. Chances are she would have just ignored me anyway. After Maggie and her friends had piled into the car and pulled away, Edward sat and tugged me down onto his lap sideways. "Once again, I have to apologize for an unscheduled appearance by Maggie. Was it too awkward out here when I left?"

"Uh, it wasn't good," I admitted. "I'm not trying to rat her out or anything, but she wasn't exactly polite to me."

"Shit, I was afraid of that. I'm sorry."

"It's okay," I reassured him.

"What did she say?"

I briefly told him and he raked a hand through his hair. "Jesus, okay, that's completely uncalled for."

"I can handle it."

"I know you _can_, but you shouldn't have to. It isn't fair to you, and that's not the type of person I want to see my daughter grow up to be. Treating anyone like that just isn't acceptable to me."

"I understand." I touched his cheek softly. "But we made a little progress, I guess. At least I had on underwear this time."

His deep laugh made me chuckle, too, and he stretched up to kiss me. "Thank you, Bella."

"We'll figure it out," I reassured him.

"You're wonderful." He lifted my hand to his lips and brushed them across the palm. "I don't know how I lived my life for so long without you."

**~BtBR~**

Apart from a few sporadic trick-or-treaters that trickled in after Maggie left, the night seemed to wind down after that. We were talking quietly when a thought occurred to me. "You said you got a phone call earlier. Was it anything important?"

He shook his head. "No, just one of my friends calling to see if I wanted to come over for drinks. It's a tradition every year, the adults get together for cocktails and appetizers while the kids gorge themselves on candy."

"Sounds like fun."

"I haven't gone in a few years."

I ventured a guess. "Since your separation from Heidi?"

"Exactly. I didn't really feel like socializing with other happy couples."

"I could head home, if you'd like to go," I offered, disappointed by the thought of not spending the rest of the night with him, but completely understanding that he might want some time with friends.

He threaded our fingers together. "No, I want to spend tonight with you."

I frowned. "Are you sure? I don't like feeling that I'm keeping you from spending time with your friends."

Edward shook his head. "Truthfully, other than the hosts, Kate and Garrett, I don't particularly enjoy socializing with most of them."

"You're sure?"

"I am." He leaned closer to me. "Now, I believe I promised to make up for the earlier interruption. It looks like trick-or-treating has ended. What do you say we go upstairs and I show you just how much I appreciate that incredible outfit you're wearing?"

I glanced around. The street was dark and quiet and some of the houses had already turned off their lights. "I think I'd like that."

We stood up and I helped Edward blow out the candles and lanterns. I put a little extra sway in my walk as we headed up the stairs to his bedroom. I heard him groan and I felt fingertips skim the back of my thigh. After the door was shut and locked behind us, I gently pushed him down onto the foot of the bed.

"So. I want to know, do you want me to keep any of the costume on?"

His eyes raked over me and he shook his head in amazement, but didn't answer my question. "You are just too beautiful to be with an old man like me."

His tone was joking, but I frowned, the light-hearted mood immediately disappearing. "You know I hate it when you say things like that."

A remorseful look crossed his face. "I know. I'm sorry." He stood and cupped my cheek in his hand, our eyes meeting.

"I just want you to believe me. You know I find you very attractive, but I care about you for who you are as a person. I don't _care_ about the age difference, Edward. I don't. I'd feel the same way if you were twenty or fifty. But your experiences have made you who are. _You_ make me happy."

His expression was hopeful, but a little sad. "You make me happy, too. Sometimes, I just worry that you're going to realize that there are so many men who would kill to be with a woman like you, and they come without all of the baggage I do. I worry that I won't be enough for you."

"They aren't you," I said simply. "I love _you_, Edward. Only you."

Shock crossed his face first, then awe, and finally pure, undiluted happiness. "I love you, too. So much … I … Christ, Bella, I love you. I've been afraid to say something, afraid I was moving too fast for you."

Tears spilled down my cheeks as he pulled me in for a kiss. His mouth ravaged my own, needy and hungry. The kiss was full of desperation and pure, heady passion. Heat flared in me, spreading across my body, making me ache with want for him.

"No, it's not too soon," I whispered against his lips. "_Now_ do you believe me when I tell you that I don't want anyone else? That your age doesn't matter? That whatever your baggage, I want nothing more than to be with you?"

"Yes."

Relieved, I kissed him again, opening my mouth to let his tongue slip inside, feeling the way his hands shook as he gripped me tightly. After another deep, passionate kiss he pulled back, trailing his lips down my neck. His hands worked the wings off of me, letting them fall to the ground. His fingers trailed down my spine, gently lowering the zipper on my dress. He helped me out of it before pulling back. I saw his eyes travel over me appreciatively. His fingers played with the edges of the stockings I wore.

"I really like these," he said huskily. "It's a good thing I didn't know you had them on earlier, or I wouldn't have left the bedroom tonight."

"I wore them for you," I admitted and he groaned. His mouth moved to my neck as my fingers threaded through his hair.

"Whatever I did to deserve you … I'm grateful."

I smiled, loving that he was no longer doubting that he did deserve me.

"What about the fact that you're a good person and a wonderful father?" I asked softly. "That you sacrificed everything for Maggie. Maybe it's a reward for the happiness you were denied then."

His lips moved to my collarbone and sucked lightly. I gasped and my grip on his hair tightened.

"That begs the question though," I continued, after a moment. "What did I do to deserve you?"

He chuckled softly. "Hmm. Well, you're sweet, smart, and caring. You were patient with me while I worked through my issues. You are brave enough to face everything we have to deal with at work."

"Thank you. I love that you see me that way." I let my head fall back as his lips continued their path across the top of my chest. "I'd say we're just about perfect for each other then."

Edward drew me close, his lips meeting mine in a slow kiss. They were soft as they sought mine, again and again. The kisses were light and sweet, with the barest hint of gliding tongue.

"I love you," he murmured against my mouth.

He shrugged out of his suit jacket and loosened his tie. I slipped the shirt from his body and helped him lift the undershirt off. My hands worked his belt loose and he removed it along with his pants. When he was completely bare, I kicked my heels off and he lay me down on the bed as he slowly unrolled the stockings down my legs, my breath catching in my throat at the feel of his fingertips skimming across my skin.

We shifted so my body was stretched out over Edward's. We kissed for a long time; deep, slow kisses, pouring every bit of emotion we had into them. I let everything else get swept away as I sank into the sweetness of loving this man. It felt like I had waited so long to tell him, although it had really only been a few weeks.

"I love you. I'm in love with you," he murmured as his mouth brushed the shell of my ear. "Do you know how long I've waited to say that to someone and fully mean it?"

All I could do was nod and slide my fingers through his hair while I turned my head to capture his lips with mine again. His hands curled around my hips and pulled me tighter to him. I played with his hair as my head tilted, deepening the kiss, my tongue stroking his in an eager dance.

With a suddenness that surprised me, he gripped me tightly, crushing me against him so hard I let out a gasping breath. "I want to make love to you," he whispered.

I sat up and his hands immediately moved to the middle of my back, flicking the bra clasp open. His hands smoothed over my shoulders, brushing the straps aside and removing it from my body. He dropped it on the bed beside us and his thumbs played over my nipples, making them tighten to stiff peaks. A tingle shot through me and settled low in my belly.

"Beautiful," he crooned. "Everything about you."

I flushed with pleasure at his words. The tension built, our breaths becoming labored as our gazes locked. His hands moved lower and the small bit of lace covering my lower body was tossed aside.

Our bodies met again, his skin smooth and hot against mine, as he settled over me. His slow exploration from earlier continued; his fingertips, lips and tongue tracing maddening paths over my skin. He sucked lightly at the skin above my left breast—right over my heart—causing little pinpricks of pleasure to shoot through me at the sensation. When the skin had darkened, he drew back with a smile before kissing the spot gently.

"Mine," he whispered. I gently pushed at him until he rolled over onto his back. When my lips moved to the corresponding spot on his chest, he grinned knowing I was marking what was mine. He looked happy and carefree, and his hands tangled in my hair as I sucked at his skin. When I was done, I slid up his body, capturing his mouth in a heated kiss. If we were limited in showing off our relationship in public, in private at least we could indulge our small possessive moments.

He rolled me onto my back and worshiped my breasts and belly, along with my arms and legs. The tops of my shoulders, the skin on the side of my hip; they all received the same appreciative scrutiny. I watched as he slipped between my thighs, lifting them over his shoulders as his hands slid under me and brought me to his mouth.

I waited with baited breath as his head slowly lowered and his mouth began a slow exploration of my body. I kept my eyes locked on his for as long as I could, reveling in both the sensations his lips and tongue caused and the way he was looking at me. The love in his eyes and the pure, unadulterated happiness there were overwhelming. I reached down and his fingers threaded through mine, the grip firm and reassuring. I closed my eyes, my head falling back against the pillow as the urgent need built within me. When I let go, it was with a soft, gasping cry that reverberated through my chest.

His tongue slowly lapped at me, bringing me down from the intense climax and it wasn't until I stopped shaking that he let go of my hand and slid up my body. Still parted, he settled between my thighs, his torso pressed to mine. His elbows rested on the bed and he cradled my face in his hands as he leaned in. I whispered my love to him, and with a subtle shift of our hips he was sheathed within me. I felt complete, two pieces of a puzzle locking together.

Tears spilled from my eyes, the emotional intimacy staggering me. "I didn't know it could feel like this," I whispered.

"I didn't either," he said, wiping away my tears. He began to move, unhurriedly, his eyes never leaving mine. They were so green, so full of adoration. I swallowed hard and wrapped my arms around his back, holding him tighter.

I felt connected to Edward in every part of me; from the top of my head to the tips of my toes. His movements were slow; this was about far more than a desire for release. It was an affirmation of our deepening feelings for each other, and the promise that we were in this together.

He moved slowly within in. My heart felt full, emotion thickening my voice as I whispered his name. It seemed like we could go on like that for hours; the slow glide of our bodies so gentle and easy. My eyes closed as he pressed his forehead against mine. I shifted slightly and he sank deeper, brushing a spot that made me moan.

"I've never made love before," he whispered. "Everything I've ever felt pales in comparison to this."

I took a deep, shuddering breath, overwhelmed by emotion. "I feel the same way."

We were so close that our whispered conversation brushed our lips together as we spoke. I wound my legs more tightly around him and pulled him against me, needing to feel him as close as possible. We kissed as we rocked together; the heady push and pull of our bodies making my skin flush.

I tensed under Edward as the steady movement and overwhelming emotion finally built into a crescendo. I came, not with a staggering climax that overwhelmed everything, but something quieter and deeper. My body clenched around him in small rhythmic pulses that made his breath catch in his throat. He buried his face in my neck as he came, whispering my name over and over against my skin.

A long while later, he rolled us to our sides, cupping my cheek in his hand and brushing his lips against mine. Still joined together, we kissed for a long time.

I moved one hand to touch his face, to trace the faint lines at the corners of his eyes, to brush the mingled copper and silver of his hair. This man was mine. Older, yes, but there were no doubts that he was everything I could ever need.

Someone closer to my age and without the baggage might have been easier, but he wouldn't have been Edward.

There wasn't a shred of doubt in me that I belonged with Edward Cullen, body, heart, and soul.

* * *

**Notes:** Whew! Another encounter with Maggie, and even bigger, they said 'I love you'.

Were you disappointed that Bella said it first? Or did you think it fit the characters? I've always thought it made the most sense for them, but I'm curious to hear your thoughts on that, and the rest of the chapter.

I recently started a Facebook group called Discordia's Library. If you'd like to join, add me as a friend on FB, and let me know you'd like to be added to the group.

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	16. Chapter 16 - The Entryway

**Notes:** Huge thanks to my pre-readers: Deb Arrington, Mandi Niko, and Jules Twifanawesomesox; my beta: Alice's White Rabbit; and my Validation beta: Totoro

Brace yourselves. I think this is a chapter a lot of you have been waiting for.

* * *

**Chapter 16: The Entryway**

We spent the morning making love again; in bed, and in the shower. Unfortunately, our happiness was short-lived. We had just finished a late breakfast and gone into the library to work when the doorbell rang. Edward stood with a sigh.

"I'll go see who that is."

The library was just off the entryway to the house, and I heard Edward open the front door. I was completely unprepared for the screaming that began the moment the door opened.

"I don't know who the fuck this Becca girl is that you're screwing, but it has to stop now."

"What are you talking about, Heidi?" he asked tersely and I stifled a gasp. Maggie must have talked to Heidi about me, but gotten my name wrong. That definitely explained her odd comment to me at work just before my birthday. I was suddenly incredibly grateful for the mix-up. I was torn, wanting to warn Edward not to correct Heidi about my name, but knowing that if I went out there, she'd know exactly who I was. I closed my eyes, my stomach lurching as I thought about the havoc she could wreak if she figured it all out.

"This _child_ you're dating," she said scornfully. "It's disgusting enough that you're with someone your daughter's age, but to act like that in front of her?"

"She is twenty-three years old, Heidi. Older than either of us were when we had Maggie. And I don't know what the hell you are talking about. How were we supposedly acting?" he asked coldly.

"Our daughter came home from Lauren's house this morning, and told me all about the little tramp you're shacking up with. It's bad enough that she's moved in with you."

"We don't live together. She is only here on the weekends when Maggie _isn't_ here."

"Don't lie to me, Edward," she said angrily. "I know for a fact that Maggie walked in on you in a compromising position already. But to let this … Becca grope you in front of Maggie last night is just repulsive."

"Look, Heidi, we need to sit down and discuss this with Maggie, because I have no idea what you're talking about. Absolutely nothing happened last night. When Maggie got here we were sitting several feet apart handing out candy to children. I left for a few minutes to get gas money and Maggie was very nasty to her. I understand that this situation is difficult for Maggie, but she needs to be more respectful, and I've told her that in the past."

"Your little tramp is the one who needs a lesson in respect. Believing her over the word of your own daughter? You are a disgusting old man for dating a college co-ed. You are constantly lecturing me about my behavior, why don't you take a long, hard look in the mirror, Edward," she hissed.

His voice rose. "Don't you dare lecture me on morals and principles, Heidi. I won't deny that in August, Maggie walked in on something she shouldn't have seen. But while I may not have wanted Maggie to see me kissing my girlfriend, it was PG rated at most. In the scheme of things, it was quite minor. I apologized to Maggie for making her uncomfortable.

"Absolutely nothing has happened in Maggie's presence since. She, and you, may not like the fact that I am dating again, but I'll be damned if I am going to let _you_ dictate my personal life. I have never intentionally done anything that would be detrimental to Maggie and you know it. I've put everyone else's needs ahead of my own. Of course Maggie will still be my priority, but I am not backing down on this. I love Bella very much."

I closed my eyes, dread filling me as he said my name.

There was a sharp, indrawn breath and then an amused chuckle. "Bella? Oh, that is priceless. You _are_ fucking one of your underlings. I've been wondering. Maggie said something about a girl named Becca and that she thought you said she worked at the hospital. I couldn't quite put the pieces together, but I wondered. This … this is too good. I will ruin you both."

"Christ." Edward groaned. "Why do you care, Heidi? You don't love me, and I don't think you ever have. Why be so damn petty? Can't you just leave it be?"

"You just expect me to roll over and forget about this? Not likely. I will drag you into family court so fast your head will spin," Heidi snarled. "Is she really worth risking custody of Maggie over?"

Edward inhaled sharply. "Don't even think about threatening me like that, Heidi. You know damn well that I am a good father and that Maggie needs both of us. If you actually care about our daughter you won't use her as a pawn in your little games. Maggie needs us to remain calm and be united in this, not tearing each other apart in court. I can't believe you'd really be that selfish."

"I'm not being selfish. I'm doing what's best for Maggie. She came home crying about how you don't want to spend any time with her, and that you're too busy with your fucking girlfriend."

Edward's voice rose. "When have I ever not wanted to spend time with Maggie? I'm home every day during the week. We have dinner together and I help her with her homework when she needs it. _You're_ the one who has been too busy with Felix to spend time with Maggie on numerous occasions. Hell, that first year after we separated, I spent more time running over to your house to pick up Maggie when she called me crying, than you _ever_ spent with her. You were always off to some event or function so you could network. Bella and I have spent our weekends together, while Maggie was at your place. I never once canceled plans with Maggie to see Bella."

"Your behavior was still inappropriate last night."

"I didn't even _touch_ her in front of Maggie last night. I hate to think that she would do it, but I suspect Maggie might have been lying to you. I swear to you, we did _nothing_ wrong last night."

"We?" Heidi asked. "Is your little tramp still here?"

"Her _name_ is Bella and the nasty nicknames are completely uncalled for. She has done nothing to you."

A part of me wanted to bolt up and defend myself to Heidi. It was hard to sit by and keep my mouth closed as she insulted me. I wasn't the type of person who was afraid to stand up for myself. But I wasn't willing to risk making the situation any worse. So much was at stake here: our jobs, Edward's custody of Maggie. It might bring me personal satisfaction to put Heidi in her place, but it wasn't worth the possible consequences. I gritted my teeth together and dug my nails into my palms. For Edward's sake, and for Maggie's, I had to keep my mouth shut.

"Where is she, Edward? Is she up in your bed, waiting for you like the little whore she is?"

"Leave Bella out of this," he snarled. I heard high heels on the floor as she walked around, and after a moment they headed in this direction. I straightened as she stopped by the library door.

Heidi's voice was mocking as she walked into the room. "Oh, isn't that cute. She's doing her homework while the adults have their grown-up conversation."

I stood up, furious, but Edward spoke before I could even get a word out. "What Bella was doing was trying to be polite and let the two of us deal with this. You've crossed the line."

Edward strode into the room and moved to stand by me, his hand coming to rest on the middle of my back in a comforting, protective gesture. I could feel myself shaking to keep from responding to Heidi's nasty comments. "Tell me what you want, Heidi, and be quick about it. I've had just about enough of your bullshit."

"I want you to dump this little tramp." She gestured dismissively to me.

"God damn it, Heidi, is it asking too much for you be to civil? Or at least not hateful? I'm just not going to sit here and let you insult the woman I love."

Heidi rolled her eyes and I felt Edward take in a deep, shuddering breath, trying to calm himself. I reached for him, leaning into his side, and hoped that it would reassure him. It must have worked, because he _was_ a little calmer when he spoke next. "What are you trying to accomplish, Heidi? And don't give me any bullshit about it being because of Maggie. We both know your needs have always come before hers."

Her face twisted into an ugly sneer. "It's payback, Edward. For all those years you lorded over me with your holier-than-thou attitude. You were the perfect goddamn husband and father and I could never live up to your expectations as a wife and mother. I always fell short. You've spent years acting so goddamn moral, and yet here you are fucking your employee. I'm tired of you lecturing me about how I needed to do more for Maggie. Here is your chance to prove to me how great a father you are. Either you drop the tramp, or you lose your job _and_your daughter. Then we'll see who the better parent is."

Edward drew in a sharp breath. "You would really ruin my career and keep Maggie from me just because you're feeling spiteful? I'm sorry if I made you feel that you weren't good enough. I know that trying to make our marriage work was a lost cause. You were right; we never should have gotten married. At the time, I did what I thought was right for Maggie. But how can you possibly think _that_ justifies hurting Maggie like this? She'll be devastated."

"You _humiliated_ me at work."

"_I_ did?" Edward's voice rose. "I never breathed a word of what happened between us. I've never been one for gossip and you know that. If nothing else, you should know that I wouldn't do it because of Maggie. I would never risk her finding out."

Heidi swallowed, a small flicker of doubt crossing her face. "Then who, Edward? I certainly didn't want people to know why we divorced. But somehow, everyone managed to find out about the fact that you caught me screwing Felix."

A gasp from the doorway startled us all. Maggie was standing there, her face white with shock. Edward's horror-stricken expression was almost as bad. He rushed over to Maggie and she turned instinctively, burying her head in his chest as he wrapped his arms around her. The hurt I glimpsed on her face was almost unbearable, and I hardly knew her. I couldn't imagine what it was doing to Edward. My heart broke for both of them.

"Maggie," Heidi said weakly, and I turned to look at her. As much as I hated her, I couldn't deny that the stricken expression on her face was genuine.

"Jesus Christ, Heidi," Edward hissed. "I didn't even realize Maggie came with you."

He stroked his hand over her curls and spoke quietly to his daughter. "Were you waiting in the car?"

"Yes," she sniffled.

"Oh, baby, I am so, so sorry. I never wanted you to find out like this."

Maggie pulled away and looked up at him. Her tear-streaked face and heartbroken expression made my stomach clench. "Why didn't you tell me before?"

He sighed and closed his eyes for a moment before opening them and looking her right in the eye. "We thought you were too young to really understand. And it wasn't the only problem your mom and I had, Maggie. Everything else we told you was completely true. We weren't happy together. Felix was just a symptom of that."

"You should have told me," she said sadly, her voice breaking.

Edward nodded. "I'm sorry. You have to know though, that we _never_ planned for you to find out this way."

Maggie whirled around, dislodging Edward's arms from around her as she turned to face her mother. Her face was twisted with anger and her voice was venomous. "How could you do that to Dad?"

Heidi closed her eyes and, right then, I pitied her. Although she was a selfish, self-centered woman, she looked horrified by Maggie's question. She might not have been the best mother to Maggie, but she did care. She stepped forward, but Maggie shrank back into Edward's arms. I watched as Heidi struggled to come up with an explanation for her. I hated that there was absolutely nothing I could do in this situation. Nothing I could say that would make it better for any of them. But I was afraid that if I said anything, it would only make things worse. In truth, I felt like I was intruding on a very private moment that I never should have been a part of.

When Heidi finally spoke, her voice was trembling. "Maggie, your father is right. We weren't happy together. It isn't an excuse though. What I did was wrong. And we should have told you. Your father was trying to protect you. He didn't want you to think badly of me."

"I am never going to forgive you," Maggie cried.

She turned and buried her head in Edward's chest again and he gave a deep shuddering sigh as he wrapped his arms tightly around her. We were all silent for a long moment as she cried.

When Edward finally spoke, his voice was very quiet. "I think we can all agree that Maggie should stay with me for at least a few days. We'll see how she feels after this."

"I'm never going back to your house again, mom," Maggie muttered, her voice muffled by Edward's shirt. "I don't ever want to see you _or_ Felix again. I hate him. And I hate you."

Heidi closed her eyes for a moment, and then wiped away a tear that trickled down her cheek. "I'll give you some time with your dad, Maggie."

She shook her head, refusing to even look at her mother and I saw Edward's jaw tighten before he spoke. "Will you at least drop this ridiculous, petty vendetta against me? The last thing Maggie needs right now is me losing my job and facing a lawsuit if you expose my relationship with Bella to H.R. Not to mention the two of us fighting. Please, just let it go. Right now there are more important things than your ego. Maggie _has_ to be our priority."

Heidi let out a deep, shuddering breath and nodded jerkily. "I won't say anything."

Edward gave her a long, hard look. "We can trust you on this?"

"We'll call it my atonement." Her eyes flickered over to Maggie and then back to Edward, a pained expression crossing her face.

Edward nodded once, sharply. "Fine."

Heidi stepped closer and put a hand on Maggie's arm, but the girl shrugged it off. "Please, will you look at me, Maggie?"

"No," she muttered.

"I'm sorry," Heidi said plaintively. "I never meant for you to get hurt by this."

"Just go," Maggie cried.

Heidi nodded and left the room without another word. I heard the click of her heels, and the front door shut quietly behind her. The only other sound was Maggie's soft sobs. I was torn, not wanting to interrupt, but knowing that I needed to leave.

I spoke quietly. "Edward, I'm going to head out. Call me later tonight if you have time. If not, I understand."

He nodded. "I'm sorry, Bella." His voice was sounded helpless, and a little frustrated. I was sure he wanted to reassure me, but I waved it off.

"It's okay. Don't worry about me. Just take care of Maggie."

He nodded and swallowed hard. I wanted to kiss him goodbye, but the last thing Maggie needed was anyone taking her father's attention or affection away from her right now. It was going to be a really rough time for her, I was sure.

I gently touched his shoulder as I left the room and went upstairs to pack my things. I straightened the room quickly and threw my clothes and toiletries in my overnight bag, not wanting to linger.

The door to Maggie's room was open when I walked by it. Although a bit cleaner than most, it was your typical teenager's room, with posters and pictures all over the walls. She was face down on her bed, sobbing, and Edward was perched on the edge, rubbing her back and talking softly. He looked up at me as I passed, his expression worried and grief-stricken. "I love you," I mouthed and he smiled faintly and mouthed it back before turning to Maggie again.

I went downstairs and let myself out through the garage. I drove home thinking about what had happened, my stomach twisted in knots. There was a small part of me that was worried about my job and what would happen if Heidi changed her mind about outing us. But mostly, my heart was breaking for Maggie. I was lucky enough to have two parents who loved and respected each other very much. Neither of them would have cheated on the other. I couldn't begin to understand what Maggie was going through. But just thinking about it made my heart ache.

I couldn't resent her for the bratty way she'd acted before. After seeing her mother in action, frankly, I was amazed that she wasn't an utter nightmare. She was just a scared young girl with one horrible role-model and another parent who was doing his best to raise her. As much as I wanted to hate Heidi right now—and a part of me really did—I had seen the look on her face when she realized what Maggie overheard. She was a selfish, misguided woman, but she had seen the impact her actions had on her daughter, and I could only hope that maybe she'd learn from them.

**~BtBR~**

Edward called later that night, exhausted by his conversation with Maggie.

"How's she doing?" I asked quietly.

He sighed. "Not well. I don't think I've seen her cry this much since we told her we were separating."

"I felt so awful for her. The look on her face ..."

"I know. I have never regretted marrying Heidi so much as I did in that moment," he said hoarsely. "All of the shit she put me through is nothing compared to knowing how badly she hurt Maggie today."

"Heidi looked like she regretted it though," I pointed out.

"She did. I just hope it wasn't only because she regretted that she got exposed." Edward sighed heavily. "I am so sorry you got dragged into this, Bella."

"Edward, I'm only sorry because it made it more difficult for you. It was awkward and uncomfortable," I admitted. "But don't worry about me. I'm fine. Just focus on Maggie."

"Jesus, you have no idea how much I want to hold you right now. I love you so much, Bella. You are such an amazing woman. Anyone else would be running for the hills."

"I love you, too, Edward. And as long as you want me, I'm going to be here to support you." I paused for a moment. "I know Maggie is probably going to need all of your attention for a while. I know it's going be rough for her, so I completely understand if we need to take a step back. Whatever she needs; just take care of her."

"It could be a long while, Bella," he said reluctantly. "I don't know how soon she'll feel ready to talk to Heidi again, much less want to stay there on the weekend … and I know she isn't ready for you to stay over while she's here."

"I know. I _mean_ it when I say that you need to focus on her. Our weekends together have been wonderful, but we'll stick to phone calls and texts for as long as it takes, or until Maggie is ready to have me around on a regular basis. I will do _whatever_ it takes to be with you, and if that means waiting months for Maggie to come around, that's fine. You take care of her, and I'll be patient."

"I wish I had the words to tell you how incredible you are, Bella."

"Just promise me that you'll trust that I will stick by you through this."

"I do. After last night and today, if there's one thing I'm sure of, it's that I trust you and your feelings for me."

"Well, good," I said, trying to keep my voice light. "At least something good came out of this mess."

"I won't let Heidi renege on her word that she will keep our secret, Bella, I promise you that."

"Do you think there's a chance she might?"

Edward was silent for a moment, but his voice was sure when he spoke. "No, actually, I believe her. She's devastated about Maggie finding out, much less finding out this way. Her faults are numerous, but she loves our daughter, and she isn't a monster. She knows she made a huge mistake, and that anything she does to harm me will only alienate Maggie further."

"To be honest, I'm less worried about our jobs than I am about Maggie," I admitted. "I just can't imagine what she's going through."

Edward's voice was soft, and full of wonder. "You will never cease to amaze me."

We talked for several hours that night. Edward desperately needed to vent, and I was happy to listen. I did my best to reassure him that we'd make it through this hurdle, too, and that stressing himself out about it wasn't going to help.

I could hear the tension in his voice and I wanted to be there beside him, smoothing away his worried frown and easing his frustration. I hated the fact that I couldn't go to his house and crawl into bed beside him. I couldn't run my fingers through his hair or massage his neck and shoulders. Instead, I listened while he vented. When I did talk, I made my voice as calm and reassuring as possible and I slowly heard the anxiety seep from his voice. We finally hung up when he sounded half-asleep. His voice was low and soft as he whispered that he loved me. I fell asleep thinking about both Edward and Maggie and wishing there was more I could do for them.

* * *

**Notes: **So … Heidi figured out their secret and was ready to expose them. Fortunately, karma got to her first.

I don't know about you, but I'm feeling pretty bad for Maggie. As much as she did need to hear the truth, that was probably the worst way. It's going to be a rough road for her.

What do you think about Bella's response to the situation?

* * *

Also, I am flabbergasted by the fact that my story "Three Truths" is up for Top Ten Completed Fics for January on TwiFanfictionRecs. twifanfictionrecs*com/category/top-ten-fics/top-ten-completed-fics-jan-2013/ You can vote once per day until March 1st.

In addition, my collaboration with Kherisma, "Lose the One You Love" is up for Fic of the Week on The Lemonade Stand. www*tehlemonadestand*net . We're in sixth place right now, and aiming to be in the top five, so we'd really love your vote! Voting is open until Friday.

The amount of love you have all shown me, and the stories I write, is truly staggering, and I can't begin to express how it makes me feel. If you have a few moments, please go vote. It would mean the world to me.

* * *

I recently started a Facebook group called Discordia's Library. If you'd like to join, add me as a friend on FB, and let me know you'd like to be added to the group.

Please stop by to chat or look for teasers in the following places:

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	17. EPOV Outtake - Maggie's Room

**Notes:** Huge thanks to my pre-readers: Grnidgirl, Mandi Niko, and Jules Twifanawesomesox; my beta: Alice's White Rabbit; and my Validation beta: Totoro

I am really thrilled that you all enjoyed the last chapter so much. I hadn't planned to do an EPOV, so whoever put the idea in my head, thank you! I appreciate it. I think it'll give you guys a great chance to see Edward and Maggie's interaction and how he dealt with the fallout after Maggie learned the truth about her mother.

I am incredibly excited to post this one for you, it turned out even better than I hoped. All three pre-readers, and my beta LOVED it, and I am so eager to hear your thoughts on it.

* * *

**EPOV Outtake: Maggie's Room**

There are few things in the world more painful than seeing your child's heart break and the idolization of her mother shatter. It felt like _my_ heart would rip in two at the sight of Maggie's shocked and horrified expression when she discovered her mother had cheated on me. I had been contemplating telling Maggie about her mother's infidelity for a while. Right then, every fiber of my being wished I had because it would have been so much better to have broken it to her gently, not have it flung out as part of a heated argument by my ex-wife, while my new girlfriend stood by.

Anger immediately took over. "Jesus Christ, Heidi," I hissed. "I didn't even realize Maggie came with you."

I stroked Maggie's hair and held her close, speaking quietly to her. "Were you waiting in the car?"

"Yes," she sniffled.

"Oh, baby, I am so, so sorry. I never wanted you to find out like this."

Maggie pulled away and looked up at me. Her face was streaked with tears and she looked absolutely devastated.

"Why didn't you tell me before?" she asked plaintively.

I sighed and closed my eyes for a moment, trying to explain why I'd kept this from her.

"We thought you were too young to really understand. And it wasn't the only problem your mom and I had, Maggie. Everything else we told you was completely true. We weren't happy together. Felix was just a symptom of that."

"You should have told me," she said brokenly.

I nodded. "I'm sorry. You have to know though, that we _never_ planned for you to find out this way."

Maggie whirled around, turning to face her mother. I couldn't see her expression but her voice was venomous. "How could you do that to Dad?"

Although I had a hard time trusting anything Heidi did, the expression on her face in response to Maggie's question made me wince. She looked horrified. I would never be able to forgive Heidi for what she'd done to Maggie or me. She stepped forward, reaching for her daughter, but Maggie moved back into my arms, needing my comfort. I held her close and glanced up at Heidi, catching a glimpse of Bella behind her. It struck me then that the worried, caring expression on her face was more genuine-looking than Heidi's. Heidi _was_ sincerely upset, but I had to wonder if it was because she knew how badly Maggie was hurting, or if it was for more selfish reasons.

_Christ, if I were a violent man I could kill Heidi for what she did today, _I thought.

When Heidi finally spoke, her voice was trembling. "Maggie, your father is right. We weren't happy together. It isn't an excuse though. What I did was wrong. And we should have told you. Your father was trying to protect you. He didn't want you to think badly of me."

"I am never going to forgive you," Maggie cried and I closed my eyes as she turned and buried her head in my chest again. I sighed heavily and wrapped my arms around her more tightly. The room was silent, except for her agonized sobs.

I spoke to Heidi and finally got her to agree to drop the ridiculous vendetta against Bella and me. She left looking more humble and contrite than I'd ever seen her. I hoped her remorse and promise to keep quiet was genuine, because after what happened today, I wouldn't be holding back. I'd played nice for Maggie's sake, but nothing would stop me from protecting both Bella and Maggie from Heidi now.

As Bella quietly left the room, I was torn, wanting to say goodbye and reassure her, but knowing Maggie desperately needed me. Bella went upstairs to get her things, and I pulled back and looked down at Maggie.

"Why? Why would she do that, Dad?" she asked. Tears hung on her eyelashes as she pleaded with me to help her understand why her entire world had been turned upside down.

I sighed. "Come on; let's go up to your room and talk."

She hugged herself tightly, wrapping her arms around her waist and nodded. "Okay."

She moved slowly to her room, her shoulders shaking with sobs, and she threw herself face down on the bed the moment she was in her room. I sighed heavily and sat down beside her, rubbing her back the way I used to when she was a little girl. She wasn't—in fact she was a young adult—but it was such a difficult and fragile time for her. She was already struggling, torn between her mother's influence and mine. The divorce had been hard, but this was much, much worse.

Maggie had idolized her mother, despite her many flaws. Although Maggie and I had always been very close, she had looked to Heidi for cues on how to behave. I knew that finding out her mother had betrayed our marriage vows was going to be devastating and I felt completely unprepared for how I was going to deal with it.

"I'm going to be really honest with you, Maggie; I don't know that I'll ever truly understand why your mother did what she did. Sometimes people don't think about the consequences of their actions. That's something you're going to have to talk to her about."

She turned her face to the side and the raw, hurting expression made _me_ hurt. "I don't ever want to talk to her," she cried.

I sighed. "I'm not going to push you right now. Take some time. But you're going to have to talk to her someday, Mags. For your sake."

"I hate her so much."

"I know, baby." I rubbed her back and she sobbed harder. I sighed and glanced up, seeing Bella hovering in the doorway, her face a worried mask of confusion. She had her overnight bag slung over her shoulder and she was ready to go. Intellectually, I knew she was going home so I could focus on Maggie, but a small part of me wouldn't have blamed her if she was ready to run. After a day like today, how _could_ I blame her?

"I love you," she mouthed, smiling reassuringly, and a small amount of the aching panic in me subsided. Bella wasn't running. I mouthed it back and gave her back a little smile in return, so damn grateful to know that she was supporting me. I looked back down at Maggie and when I glanced up again, Bella was gone. Bolstered by her reassurance, I returned my focus to Maggie.

Maggie cried for a while, and I let her, knowing she just needed to get it out. There was little I could say at this point to soothe her. I was worried, knowing we had a long road ahead of us, and there were several huge issues we'd have to deal with.

Maggie had lied to Heidi about Bella and me, and it was going to have to be addressed. In addition, she'd been nasty to Bella while I was gone. A small part of me wondered if this was punishment enough, but Maggie had to realize that her actions had consequences. There was no way I was letting her grow up to be her mother. Although I felt guilty for even thinking it, a small part of me was glad that Maggie knew the truth now.

Eventually her sobbing subsided and she sat up. Her eyes were red and swollen, and I handed her a tissue so she could blow her nose. She looked so young right then, no older than when Heidi and I had told her we were separating two and a half years ago. She _was_ older though, and I needed to be sure that I treated her accordingly.

I sighed and leaned back against the wall, stretching my back. Sitting hunched over like that had made it ache. I rolled my shoulders and gave Maggie a moment to compose herself. "Let's talk," I finally said.

"I don't know what to say." She sniffled and blew her nose again.

"Tell me how you're feeling."

"I'm mad, okay!" she yelled, a fresh wave of tears coursing down her cheeks. "I hate Mom for doing that. Felix is gross anyway. Why would she possibly think he was better than you?"

I smiled grimly to myself. Frankly, I'd had the same thought more than once, but intellectually, I knew that her infidelity had little to do with me, or Felix, and more to do with her own sense of self-worth. She was a power-hungry, selfish woman.

I explained the basics of that to Maggie, while trying not to vilify her mother more than necessary. Heidi might not have deserved my respect, but Maggie did. I wasn't going to sugarcoat things, the time for that was long past, but I wasn't about to be nasty either.

"The one thing you have to know, Maggie, is that her decisions had nothing to do with you. She chose to be unfaithful, and I don't want you to think for a second that it was your fault."

"It is my fault," Maggie wailed. "She never wanted me anyway."

"Oh, baby." I pulled her close. "You might not have been planned, but you were very much wanted."

"By Mom?" I winced, trying to figure out how to tell her the truth without hurting her further.

"She loves you very much."

"But she didn't _want_ me. I heard her say that once."

"Christ," I muttered. Heidi's big mouth had once again hurt Maggie. "How much did you overhear earlier? I didn't even hear you come inside."

Maggie looked down, fidgeting with the purple bedspread. "I dunno. I kind of caught some of it when she was talking about figuring out that Bella worked for you. I was still in the kitchen then. But I went into the hallway when she started yelling about Bella doing her homework."

"God damn it," I swore, shaking my head, and Maggie flinched. That was nothing I wanted my daughter to overhear. I took a deep breath and spoke more calmly. "I'm not mad at _you_, Maggie; I want you to know that. I'm angry at her and at myself. Your mother and I should have made sure that you didn't hear our argument."

"It's true though, isn't it?"

"What is?"

"That mom didn't want me when I was born." Her eyes pleaded with me to tell her it wasn't the case, but I couldn't lie to her. I did my best to soften the blow as much as I could though.

"You're right that your mom didn't have any plans to have children. But once you were born, she loved you very much."

"She was never there though," Maggie burst out. "Not like you were."

"Your mom and I had different priorities, that much is true," I admitted.

"Yeah, and I wasn't one of them," she said bitterly.

"She tried," I offered. "I really believe that."

"She sucked," Maggie muttered. I bit back a grim smile. Maggie was right about that.

"Look, I know you're angry and hurt right now. Your mom made some very, very bad decisions. I'm not going to sugarcoat that. I want you to cry, and be angry and talk to me about this. But there's one thing you need to know: I'm not ending things with Bella. We're going to have a long talk in the next few days about your behavior recently. I know you're hurting, but I see some things that really worry me, Maggie. Is that understood?"

She nodded and her voice was very quiet. "Okay."

"Now, do you want to talk more about what happened today, or do you want some time to yourself?"

"I want to be by myself," she said, sounding exhausted. I nodded, knowing she needed that time to process everything and I needed a moment to get my head together.

She curled up on the bed and I left her with a kiss on the forehead. I closed her door behind me and walked down the stairs, feeling liked I'd aged another forty years today. In the dining room, I found my father's housewarming gift to me, which had been a bottle of very good bourbon. I hadn't touched it yet. In fact, I rarely drank, apart from a glass of wine or two with dinner, but I occasionally liked Manhattans if I was out socializing. Not bothering with any of the mixers, I pulled out a tumbler and splashed a healthy amount of the bourbon into the glass, draining it swiftly. Generally speaking, I disliked the idea of drinking as a coping mechanism, but today I felt like the whole bottle wouldn't be enough. I carried the tumbler and bottle into the library and sank down heavily into my desk chair. More than the bourbon, I wanted Bella right now. I wanted her on my lap, running her hands through my hair and making the pain go away.

_Christ,_ I thought, _what a way to end the weekend._ Last night and this morning had been so perfect and I'd been truly, deeply happy until Heidi showed up. I sighed heavily at the thought that I'd spent seventeen years with Heidi, and never once had she done what Bella did for me. Heidi's agenda always took precedence over everything else.

Bella's voice echoed in my memory. _"Don't worry about me. Just take care of Maggie."_

Had Heidi ever once said that? Had Heidi ever put her daughter's needs before her own? Bella was scarcely seven years older than Maggie, and yet she understood more about Maggie's needs than Heidi ever did. Hell, Maggie had treated Bella horribly and yet she was _still_ more worried about Maggie than herself. I'd never met a woman like her before.

I gulped down another mouthful of bourbon and raked my hand through my hair. This was partly my fault. I'd let Maggie get away with more than I should lately, and it was coming back to haunt me. Maybe if I'd been stricter, she wouldn't have lied to her mother about what we were doing the night before. But it had been a balancing act, trying to keep Heidi from figuring out who Bella was, without keeping Bella hidden from Maggie. _It is a goddamn disaster, is what it is, _I thought.

I grudgingly had to admit, though, that things had probably worked out for the best. I hated that Maggie had been hurt by this, but it would be enough to keep Heidi's mouth shut about my relationship with Bella. Despite Heidi's abysmal behavior, she did loathe the idea of her daughter not respecting her. It would be a long time before Maggie ever felt that for Heidi again. In the meantime, it would keep Heidi in check. And, I also had to admit that although she'd done a poor job showing it, Heidi did love her daughter. Her devastation at hurting her was genuine.

I drank until I could feel my head start to swim and then put the bottle away. Maggie needed me clear-headed, even though it was tempting to drink until I stopped thinking about the mess we were all in.

I checked on Maggie a few hours later, wondering if she wanted something to eat, but she was sleeping. Her tear-streaked face made my heart clench, and I quietly stepped inside and pulled the blanket at the foot of the bed over her. She was out cold, and didn't even stir when I pushed her hair off her still-damp cheek. She was right at the cusp between adolescence and adulthood, but right then, all I could see was my copper-haired little girl. The one who had cried all night with colic, the one whose skinned knees I bandaged, and the one who clung to me after a bad dream. It hit me then that Heidi hadn't been the one she turned to then, it was always me.

**~BtBR~**

My conversation with Bella that night was a relief. Not only did she reassure me that she understood how limited our time together might be, she seemed to be more concerned about how Maggie and I were doing than anything else. I marveled again at how damn lucky I was.

Still, even with her reassurance, I slept fitfully that night. My mind was caught up in a vicious cycle of worry about Maggie, and wondering how to deal with her behavior. Without Bella there to soothe me, I tossed and turned. It seemed impossible that it had been less than twenty-four hours since she'd told me she loved me. I'd wanted to tell her that for weeks now, but had held back. I was worried that if I rushed it, she wouldn't return the feelings, or feel pressured to say it back. But her spontaneous confession was exactly what I needed.

In the morning I looked haggard, and when I knocked on the door to Maggie's room and she peeked her head out, she looked no better. "How did you sleep?" I asked.

She shrugged listlessly.

"Bad dreams?"

"Unhuh." Maggie's anxieties had always manifested themselves as nightmares, and they were no doubt particularly vicious after yesterday's devastating news.

"All right. Go back to bed for a couple hours. We'll both call in today. You can get some rest and then we'll spend the rest of the day talking. This is a one-time thing though. You're going to school tomorrow," I said sternly.

She nodded, looking grateful, and stumbled back into her bedroom. It was going to be a rough day for both of us, but a little extra rest would help. I could count on one hand the number of times she'd missed school for illness and her grades were excellent. She could afford to miss today.

I called in to the school and told them Maggie was ill, and then called Pat to let her know I'd be out for the day. She assured me that she'd rearrange my schedule, and thankfully I didn't have any major meetings. I choked down some coffee and toast and spent some time trying to organize my thoughts. I felt a little more on top of things when Maggie finally stumbled downstairs blearily. Her hair was a wild mass of curls and it reminded me so much of when she was small.

But the raw, hurting expression in her eyes was that of a much older girl. "Do you want anything to eat before we talk?" I asked.

She shook her head. "No thanks."

"C'mon. Let's get comfortable in the living room."

We took seats on the couch and she fidgeted with the pillow she dragged on her lap as I began.

"We need to talk about the things you said to your mother about Bella. And the things you said to Bella."

She nodded, looking ashamed, and I took another deep breath. "But, right now, I want to talk about some of what you overheard. Bella is someone I work with. Technically, I'm her boss, and the hospital really frowns on us dating. We haven't told anyone at work about our relationship. Your mother was very unhappy with me, and she was threatening my job, and Bella's."

"Mom was going to tell on you?" Maggie asked, sounding appalled. "I heard her say she'd ruin you. Would you have gotten in a lot of trouble?"

I nodded. "She was. And yes, both Bella and I could get in serious trouble for this. You know I've always tried to raise you right, Maggie. I suppose my relationship with Bella isn't really setting a good example.

"But I'm going to be very honest with you. I love Bella. I know you don't like the idea of me dating someone, but you're going to have to deal with that. It's non-negotiable. This is a really difficult time for you, and I understand that. But you're not a kid anymore. You need to know your actions have consequences. Serious ones."

"Okay." She bit her lip nervously.

"So, I need complete honesty. I want to know what you told your mother and why you did it."

She poured her heart out then, telling me about the fact that she'd told her mother that Bella and I had been all over each other on Halloween night, and that I'd been ignoring her to spend time with Bella. She'd painted a very bad picture of Bella's behavior to her mother, and it was no wonder Heidi had come storming over. Maggie cried as she confessed all the things she'd said.

"Your actions scare me, Maggie," I said bluntly, when she was done.

"Why?"

"Because that's a very cruel, manipulative thing to do. You didn't know about the potential consequences for us at work, but you had to know that it was the wrong choice."

She nodded and swallowed hard. "I know," she whispered.

"People got hurt because you chose to lie. _Yourself_ included. Now your mother has a huge responsibility here, too. She should have come to me and discussed your accusations with me calmly and rationally. Her choice to storm over and scream at me was very poor. I do _not_ blame you for that. But your actions set this all in motion. You hurt yourself, Bella, and me."

"I didn't mean to," she protested.

"I know you didn't. But this is what being an adult is all about. Actions have consequences. Sometimes ones that can't be undone. Every choice we make has repercussions."

"I'm sorry," she whispered.

I held her gaze for a long time, and although she swallowed hard, she didn't flinch. "I want to believe that, but that's not enough. There will be consequences for your actions on top of what happened yesterday. First of all, though, I need you to know that you are never, ever allowed to speak to Bella again like you did on Halloween. That was _unacceptable_. I don't want to hear you speak to anyone like that, especially Bella. She has done nothing wrong. She's a good person, Maggie. She loves me and she's concerned about you. She doesn't deserve to be treated like that."

"I know," she whispered.

"What did you hope to gain by it, Maggie?"

She looked down, ashamed. "I wanted her to go away. I thought if I was mean to her she'd leave, and I wouldn't have to share you with her."

I sighed. "Maggie, I have more than enough love for both of you. I don't love you any less because I'm with Bella."

"I know," she said petulantly. "But you were going to have less time, like mom did when she moved out and was dating Felix." She spat out his name and I winced. I understood a little better why she had been so concerned about Bella and me. Truthfully, Heidi had more than shirked her responsibilities of spending time with our daughter during the separation and divorce. She and Felix had often gone out, leaving Maggie with me rather than spending time with her. Neither Heidi nor Maggie had ever mentioned it, but I knew that, even now, Heidi often left Maggie alone in order to spend time with Felix. After two and a half years, they hadn't moved in together. I had no idea why, but at this point, I was grateful. The less time Maggie had to spend with him the better.

"Your mother should have done better," I admitted. "But if you were concerned about that you should have come to _me_. I could have made sure that you knew that wasn't going to happen. What I want more than anything is for you and Bella to get along. So that all three of us can spend time together. I'm not going to lie; there will be times I want to be alone with Bella. That's no different than you wanting to spend time with your friends. It isn't because I don't love you or don't like the activities we do together. Bella isn't trying to take me away from you."

She nodded and I cleared my throat, needing her to know how important Bella was to me. "By hurting Bella, you hurt _me_."

"I … I," she stammered and looked away. "I didn't mean to. I didn't, I swear." She burst into tears again and I let her cry for a minute.

Once her tears became hiccups, I spoke. "Now you know. So if you do something like that again, there will be no excuse for it. If you choose to treat Bella badly, you'll be making a conscious choice to hurt me. Understood?"

"Yes." She gulped and wiped at her eyes.

"Now, as punishment, I'm taking away your car for two weeks. No negotiations. I will drive you back and forth to school. There will be no going to your friends' houses in that time period either. I strongly suggest you use that time to think about what you've done."

Her eyes got big, but she didn't argue. "In addition, I want you to do some volunteering at the hospital. It is _not_ punishment, but it is a good learning experience. Spending some time helping other people who are in much worse circumstances than you might put things in perspective for you. There will be no whining, pouting or complaining about it."

She nodded. "Now, we're going to talk about my expectations for your behavior from here on out, and what will happen if you choose to ignore them. Without question, you will be polite to Bella. You will treat her with respect. There will be no lying and absolutely no manipulative behavior. If you do not follow those rules, you will lose far more privileges than just your ability to drive. You will not be spending time with your friends, and you can forget about using your phone, or your laptop for anything but emergencies and school-related activities. And I will be monitoring that. Are we in agreement?"

"Yes," she agreed, looking a little alarmed. I didn't want to frighten her, but she did need to understand the possible consequences of her actions. And I wanted her to know _why_ she needed to change her behavior. I softened my tone a little, wanting her to really understand how her actions had made me feel. "Try to think of it this way. If I was rude to your friends, it would embarrass you, right? And if you had a boyfriend and I was rude to him, you'd be really upset with me, wouldn't you?"

"Yeah," she admitted.

"Well, think about how I felt when you were rude to Bella. I was hurt and embarrassed. It's my job as a father to raise you to be a good person. If you aren't, I blame myself. How do you think that makes me feel?"

"I wasn't trying to make you feel bad," she protested.

"I believe that. But it doesn't change the fact that it did. Again, actions have consequences, Maggie. And it's high time you started considering them."

I took a deep breath, hoping that what I said next would make things better, and not worse. "Maggie, do you like your mother right now?"

She shook her head vehemently.

"The choices she made were selfish and dishonest, weren't they?"

"Yes." She swallowed hard.

"The choices you made were, too. I'm afraid that if you continue acting like you have, you'll go down the same road your mother did. I don't want you to be the kind of person who would hurt the people you care about. I'm not claiming I'm perfect, Maggie. I make mistakes, too. But I always try to consider the feelings of the people around me and take them into consideration before I act. I want you to do that, and I hope you do, too." I took a deep breath and continued. "Your mother has some good qualities; she's very hard-working, tenacious, and she stands up for herself. I would love if you emulated her in those ways. But the selfishness and lack of concern for others feelings are not acceptable. They will hurt you and the people you care about. Do you want to be that kind of person?"

She shook her head. "No."

I looked her in the eye. "Right now is the time to grow up and decide what kind of person you want to be, Maggie. I want to help guide you, but it's time you made the adult decision about who you're going to be. You're the only one who can decide that. And you're the only one who can make it happen."

**~BtBR~**

There were a lot of tears on Maggie's part that afternoon, but I felt like we made a lot of progress. It wasn't all smooth, the more we discussed her mother's infidelity, the more upset she became. Finding out that her mother had cheated on me not just with Felix, but years prior with someone else, nearly broke her heart. It was difficult to explain to her why I had chosen to forgive Heidi the first time and not have Maggie feel like it was her fault that we had stayed together. I did my best, but there were times I felt inadequate. By the end of the day we were both exhausted and had reached our limits.

"Unless you want to talk more, I think we're done for the day," I told her. She shook her head. "Then let's order a pizza and go to sleep early."

She agreed, and we spent a quiet evening in. I called Bella that night, desperate to hear her voice. I updated her on how Maggie was doing, and let her voice lull me to sleep again. I wanted nothing more than to have her here with me, but the progress with Maggie was fragile. There was no way I would let her behavior keep me from spending time with Bella, but for the first few weeks at least, Maggie had to be my priority.

The fact that Bella seemed to instinctively understand what Maggie needed astonished me, and I could hear the genuine concern for my daughter in her voice. Somehow, in the midst of the mess that was my life, I had found the one woman who was not only able, but willing to understand what I was dealing with. One who wanted to support _me_.

I had been a fool for _ever_ thinking that Bella's age was something that should keep us apart. She had more than proven to me that she could handle what we were dealing with. The years with Heidi seemed like a bad dream now. My time with Bella was such a sharp contrast. I could only hope that as time went on Maggie and Bella could find some common ground. I knew Bella was willing to try, but I was still worried about Maggie.

Over the next two weeks, rather than avoiding the topic of Bella with my daughter, I began to talk about her more. I described her to Maggie, hoping that some of it would sink in. It seemed to work; I caught a flicker of curiosity in Maggie's eyes as she asked questions about Bella occasionally. I didn't want to push things too fast, but I was hopeful that soon the three of us would be able to spend time together.

It was a rocky few weeks. Maggie had her good days and her bad days and—truth be told—so did I. Maggie lost her temper and grew frustrated while I was shorter tempered than I wanted to be, but I could feel that she was trying. Although reluctant, she agreed to see the therapist she'd gone to after the separation. As much as Maggie and I needed to talk this through, she also needed a neutral third party who could help put it all in perspective for her. The first two sessions were rough, and Maggie cried the whole way home each time. She wanted to give up entirely, but I convinced her to stick it out a little longer. Although I could have forced her to go, it wouldn't have accomplished anything. She had to want to work with the therapist. From her emotional outbursts, and the occasional fits of tears, I suspected that it was working. If she would stick with it, I felt confident that it would help.

Maggie was angry with me for not telling her about what Heidi had done, and that was something we had to work through as well. Maggie's refusal to see Heidi was understandable, but it was very frustrating. Heidi called numerous times asking how Maggie was doing, and every time I had to tell her that Maggie wasn't ready to speak to her yet. I took a grim satisfaction in her disappointment, knowing that it meant that she was finally feeling the sting of the consequences of her actions.

It was an exhausting few weeks, and not being able to see Bella wasn't helping me. One night, I brought up the idea of having Bella over for dinner with Maggie. "How would you feel about that?" I asked.

She shrugged. "It's um, it's okay I guess."

"You'll be polite and go into it with an open mind?"

She nodded. "Yes."

"Remember the consequences we discussed if you aren't polite," I warned her. "On the other hand, know that if I do see improvement in your behavior, it'll be a sign to me that you are being mature, and that you truly regret your actions and are willing to change your behavior."

"I remember," she agreed. "And I'm trying."

"Then I'm going to invite Bella over for dinner on Sunday. I know it's going to be a different experience for all of us, but it's important to me, Maggie. I love you very much, and I love Bella as well. There is nothing in the world that I would like more than for the two of you to get along."

Maggie gulped and nodded again, her eyes serious and determined. I smiled at her and kissed the top of her head. She was a good kid. Or at least she had the potential to be. All I could do now was continue to do my best to guide her and hope that something good would come of this experience. It wasn't going to be easy for any of us.

* * *

**Notes:** What did you think? Didn't Edward do a great job dealing with Maggie? I have to admit, I'm not a parent, so I was a little leery about writing this, but I channeled what my own parents would have done, and although I hated them at the time I was Maggie's age, I appreciate them a whole lot now.

Do you feel a little better about Maggie now? Yes, she's acted horribly, but now Edward understands her reasons for doing so, and they can go from there. I think this was a real eye-opening experience for her.

I recently started a Facebook group called Discordia's Library. If you'd like to join, add me as a friend on FB, and let me know you'd like to be added to the group.

Please stop by to chat or look for teasers in the following places:

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	18. Chapter 17 - Thirst Wine Bar

**Notes:** Huge thanks to my pre-readers: Deb Arrington, Mandi Niko, and Jules Twifanawesomesox; my beta: Alice's White Rabbit; and my Validation beta: Totoro

So glad the vast majority of you seemed to like the last chapter!

I know you guys are dying for the Sunday night dinner with Maggie and Bella, but this is Bella's POV of what happened in the last few weeks. I think you'll enjoy it! And the dinner will be in the next chapter.

* * *

**Chapter 17: Thirst Wine Bar**

The two weeks following Halloween were rough for Edward, Maggie, and I. Maggie was struggling to cope with the knowledge of her mother's infidelity; Edward was doing his best to help her with that, while I was doing my best to be patient. All of our contact was by phone and it caused the days to pass by very slowly. The most difficult part was not being able to see Edward on the weekends, and to not be close during the week. I knew that Maggie absolutely had to be Edward's priority right now.

He called every night so we could talk. I could hear the exhaustion and worry in his voice and noticed it every day as he passed my desk. He was hurting because Maggie was hurting. Maggie flat out refused to go to her mother's house, or have any type of contact with her. For now, Edward felt that her decision was for the best, and privately, I agreed. Of course she'd need to talk to Heidi eventually, but some time away was for the best. All in all, it meant Edward and I couldn't spend our weekends together, and Edward apologized to me every time. I _was_ frustrated with not being able to see him, but compared to what Maggie was going through, it was nothing. I did my best to reassure him that I completely understood. The situation put everything in perspective, and although I wanted to see Edward and hold him close, I knew that my need for him was much less than hers.

There was nothing I could say or do to ease Maggie's pain. And little else I could do but listen to Edward when he needed to vent. The one thing I _could_ do to help them both was be patient and understanding. I missed Edward fiercely, but Maggie's needs took precedence.

The image of Maggie's devastated expression and heartbroken sobs lingered in my mind. I kept imagining what it must be like to deal with what she was going through. I found myself thinking of Alice a lot, and remembering what she had gone through when her parents divorced. Alice had been right around Maggie's age. Only in her case, it had been her father's infidelity, and having to learn that he'd had a mistress and a child on the side. Alice eventually came to terms with it, and has gotten to know her much younger, half-brother, but it had been very difficult for her. Her parents' divorce was the whole reason she even moved to Oregon. She was very quiet and withdrawn when we first met. I thought back now to all of the things she'd confessed to me during tearful, late-night sleepovers. I knew from viewing a close friend's experience in this type of situation that it would be a long time before she came to terms with everything. It broke my heart for Maggie all over again.

I was pleased to hear that Maggie seemed to be trying though. Edward kept me up to date on some of the things they discussed, including the conversation about _why_ Maggie had lied to Heidi about me, and how he was dealing with it. He'd taken away her driving privileges for two weeks, and grounded her from spending time with friends. He had also laid out clear expectations for her behavior from now on and, the consequences if she did anything similar in the future. It seemed reasonable to me, and I trusted that he knew what was best. I was certainly no expert, and although Maggie's attitude and behavior toward me had been appalling, I couldn't bring myself to be angry with her.

I threw myself into schoolwork, knowing that keeping busy was the only way I was going to cope with things on my own. By the end of the two weeks, I was as far ahead in my classes as I could possibly get and my apartment was spotless. I had re-organized my entire closet, started doing Pilates, and baked umpteen batches of cookies and brownies which I had taken to work for people to enjoy. The Pilates was mostly painful. I'd let working out on a regular basis slide a bit this semester and my muscles did not appreciate the rigorous workout. But it was one more thing to keep my mind occupied and not be frustrated by not being able to do more for Edward and his daughter. And hey, if I would be in even better shape when Edward saw me next, it would be a win-win.

On the second Thursday after Halloween, when I came in carrying yet another plate full of baked goods—this time lemon bars—Tanya called me out on it. "What is going on with you, Bella?"

"Huh?" I asked. I'd been lost in a haze of thinking about the conversation I'd had with Edward on the phone the night before. According to him, Maggie had gone to a therapist to help her cope with the separation and divorce when it first happened. Edward was trying to convince her to go again, and she reluctantly had gone to two sessions but Edward wasn't sure how much more she'd been willing to go in the future.

Tanya stared at me with a perplexed look her face. "You've been baking like your life depends on it. I'm not going to argue, everything you make is delicious, but clearly something's going on."

I sighed, depositing the plate on the break room counter. I placed my lunch in the refrigerator before turning to face her. "I just have a lot on my mind."

"I'm worried about you," Tanya said, leaning against the counter, a concerned frown crossing her face. "You haven't been yourself lately."

"It's a rough semester," I lied.

She shook her head. "No, it's more than that. I know you, Bella. Why won't you talk to me?"

"I'm sorry, I can't."

"I don't like this," she said bluntly.

"I'm sorry. I don't either." I paused for a moment. "Can you trust me just a little bit longer?"

"I don't even know what I'm supposed to trust you with."

"Trust that I want to tell you what's going on, but I have a very good reason why I can't."

"That doesn't even make sense. Why can't you tell me?"

"Because someone else is involved. Just … just give me a little longer. I will tell you as soon as I can. I swear I will." I stepped forward and laid my hand on her forearm. I looked her in the eye wanting her to see that I meant every word.

"You're scaring me, Bella."

"I don't mean to. Really. Just give me some more time, okay?"

She sighed heavily. "I don't have any choice, do I?"

I shook my head.

"Then I guess I'll try to be patient. Just swear to me, Bella, if something bad is happening and there's any way I can help, you'll tell me."

"I will," I promised. "Hey, do you have plans tonight?"

"No. Why?"

"I was thinking maybe we could go out to dinner tonight or something. It's been a long time since we've hung out."

Her face brightened. "I'd love that."

"Good." I smiled back at her.

Work began shortly after that and although Tanya shot me quizzical glances all day, she didn't push me. She didn't even mention anything at lunch. Thankfully the day passed very quickly and in no time at all we were clocking out.

"Where do you want to go tonight?" I asked her.

"How about Thirst?" she asked, referring to a wine bar and bistro down by the river.

"Sounds great."

We decided to ride together, so I left my car in the garage at work since she offered to drive. We chatted about work and our annoying co-workers. Liz and Amber had been full of their usual bitching about men. Thank goodness for Shelly, although she'd been cutting back on her hours lately to spend more time with her grandkids.

Tanya didn't bring up the conversation from this morning until we were seated at a table at Thirst, had glasses of wine in front of us, and had placed our order.

"Look, I'm going to be really blunt here, Bella," she said.

I laughed. "When are you ever not?"

She rolled her eyes but gave me a wry grin of acknowledgement. "Fine, I'm always blunt. I'm going to be extra blunt with you right now though. I know you said you can't really talk about whatever's going on, but I feel like I need to say what's on my mind. I'm _worried_ about you. I know it's your last semester and that working full time and going to school is difficult. Hello, I'm doing the same thing." Tanya was working toward her degree in business administration. "Believe me, I get it. But you haven't been acting like yourself since about August, and I'm really, really starting to get concerned. You seem distracted all of the time. One minute you're ecstatically happy, and the next you look so depressed you want to cry. I thought we were good enough friends that you'd feel like you could confide in me."

"I'm sorry." My eyes filled up with tears as the guilt I'd been carrying around hit me. "Honestly, I am. I know I've been acting weird, and you are such a good friend to worry about me."

"But that doesn't change the fact that you won't tell me," she said, her mouth twisting in a frown.

"I want to, Tanya, I do. But I can't." The pent-up frustration of lying, and the situation with Edward and Maggie crashed over me. I began crying and she hastily dug through her bag to find me a tissue. I took it from her with trembling fingers, trying not to let the entire restaurant see that I was in tears. After a few moments I was able to pull myself together again, and I wiped carefully at my eyes and stared down at the table, not sure what else to say to her.

Tanya finally spoke. "I just don't understand. _Why_ can't you tell me?"

I groaned. "I can't tell you that either."

She frowned. "Does it have to do with Anthony?"

"Sort of. Yes. Look, I'll tell you what I can. I care about him so much," I said, trying to be as honest as possible without giving everything away. "We talk and text every chance we get, it's amazing when we get together … it's just everything I could ever hope for in a relationship. We obviously can't be together that much and it's been really difficult to say the least." I sighed and took a sip of my wine. "I've been struggling with that. And now, well, he has some stuff going on with his family and there's nothing I can do to help him. We talk every single night on the phone but it's driving me crazy that I can't be right there with him to support him."

She nodded. "That would be difficult."

"It is. And I can't really talk about it. Not yet. But when I can, I swear, I will tell you _everything_, okay?"

"Okay," she said, sounding a little wary. "Just … promise me that he's treating your right."

"I have never been treated better," I said firmly. "Look, I know that there must be a million crazy scenarios going through your head."

She laughed. "At _least_ a million. You know how curious I am."

I smiled wanly. "I know you are. Just trust me when I say that although I'm having a hard time with things right now, it isn't his fault, or anything he has any control of. We're both just doing our best to deal with the situation with his family. I hope that in the next month or two, things are going to get better. I just hope that you won't be too pissed at me for not telling you sooner when I finally _can_ talk about it."

She raised an eyebrow at me. "This is so not helping me be less curious."

"I know," I groaned. "Just, please believe me when I say that I want to tell you, and I will tell you the minute that I'm able."

She shrugged. "I'm trying."

The waiter came around, bringing the entrees we'd ordered. I changed the subject when he left.

"Come on, let's talk about something else. Tell me about how things are going with you and Bryan."

Her face brightened. "They're going well. I swear I am counting down until the end of the semester. He's taking me skiing the weekend between Christmas and New Year's."

"Oh that's awesome. Where are you going?" I asked.

"We're going to Vancouver for a few days, and then he's taking me to Whistler."

"That sounds amazing," I said.

She leaned forward. "I think he might propose."

"Oh my God, Tanya! That's wonderful," I said, thrilled for her.

"I'm really, really excited. And then I get all worried that maybe he won't, and I'll spend the whole trip waiting for it and be really disappointed when it doesn't. I don't want to ruin the trip."

"Well, what makes you think he might propose?"

"Just little hints he's dropped. We've always talked about getting married once he was out of law school, and he'll be done next May. I don't know—I just get this vibe from him."

"Hmm. Well, try not to freak out about it. Even if he doesn't propose then, you know he will at some point."

"That's true. I'm just … really ready for our relationship to move forward. He won't live together until we're married." She rolled her eyes. "His mother is soooo conservative. I'm just eager to wake up every morning and go to bed every night with him. I want his socks in my laundry and all of our belongings mingled. I want to take his last name and be the person who is there to support him when he needs it. I don't want to wait any longer than necessary to be his wife."

I smiled at her. "That's really sweet, actually."

"Thanks. Do you think you would ever get there with Anthony?"

I swallowed hard. The question was difficult to answer given our current situation. And something about saying yes when she was asking about some fictional guy I'd made up bothered me. But it did make me think. Did I imagine marrying Edward? I would have thought that question was crazy if someone had asked me that a few months prior. But now, after what we'd be through? It was definitely becoming a possibility.

"I don't know," I said honestly. "I think there's too much still up in the air to know. But it's definitely not impossible. If we can get through what we're dealing with now, I think there's a chance we could make it. But honestly, I don't have a clue what his feelings are on marriage. We haven't discussed it."

"Oh, well, it's never a bad idea to talk about topics like that," Tanya pointed out. "I mean, you don't want to invest years in a relationship and find out that you're on two totally different pages."

Her words made me wonder. What _did_ Edward think about the idea of getting married again? His first marriage had been disastrous. Would he ever want to take that leap again? And would I be the person he'd want to do that with?

I sipped my wine thoughtfully, considering one more aspect of our relationship that we were going to have to consider. Right now wasn't the time to bring it up to Edward—we had far too much on our plate right now—but it was something we probably should discuss. From everything I had seen of Edward so far, my guess would be that he was someone who would want to marry again. But I didn't know for sure.

I remembered his passionate words the night we first discussed the possibility of beginning our relationship.

"_I want to be with someone who cares about me, for me. Not because of what I can do for her. Not because we can be some power couple, but because she can't imagine life without me. And that goes both ways."_

To me, that spoke of a man willing and able to commit. But without asking him, I was only guessing. I sighed and looked up at Tanya who was frowning thoughtfully at me.

"Are you going to see him this weekend?" she asked.

"No, he's still dealing with the situation with his family. I don't actually know when I'll get to spend the weekend with him again," I said.

"Ugh, that must be frustrating," Tanya commiserated.

"You have no idea." I sighed with aggravation.

She giggled. "Oh, _that_ kind of frustrating. I still can't believe you actually slept with him on the first date."

I smiled a little, remembering the story I'd told her about the first weekend I'd spent with 'Anthony'. I'd done my best to tell her as much truth as possible and she had been suitably impressed by our crazy weekend in bed.

"Yes, well …" I shrugged. "We have some intense chemistry. Which happens to be just one more reason that being without him is so difficult."

An excited gleam lit up her eyes. She pushed her hair over her shoulder and leaned in. "Did you ever use that gift card I gave you?"

I raised an eyebrow at her and lowered my voice. "The one to the sex shop?"

"Yeah."

"No."

"Maybe you should. It might help relieve your frustrations."

I giggled. "Seriously?"

"Seriously. They're so much fun. Come on, I can't believe you've never bought one before. You're not an uptight person at all."

"I did buy one once," I admitted. "But I bought it online which was much less embarrassing. And it didn't really do much for me so I never bothered to buy more."

Tanya shook her head at me. "Finish the wine, and we're going over there."

"Now?"

"Yes, now. Clearly you need my help."

"Um, okay," I agreed a little reluctantly. Still, I knew that there was no use arguing with Tanya. The girl could practically talk anyone into anything and I'd given up arguing with her years ago.

"Come on, it'll be fun," she coaxed.

I was a little skeptical, but I poured the last of the wine into my glass and finished it. It was worth giving it a shot. I wanted to be supportive of Edward and Maggie, and if that meant taking care of my own needs for a while, that's what I would do.

Slightly buzzed, I paid for our dinners and we left the wine bar. Thankful that she was driving, I listened to her almost alarmingly informative lesson on sex toys and mulled over the idea of texting Edward to let him know where I was going. I didn't want to make him feel like I wasn't taking the situation with Maggie seriously. Nor did I want him to think I was too frustrated to tolerate the weekends apart. But maybe a playful text would help take his mind of things.

_**Remember the conversation we had about Tanya's birthday gift to me? Going to use the gift card now. ;) –B **_

We were in the store before he messaged me back, but it was worth the wait.

_**Picturing that made my night. Let me know when you make it home so I can hear all about your shopping trip. **_

I grinned down at my phone and sent a quick reply.

"Texting Anthony?" Tanya teased.

"I thought maybe teasing him a little would take his mind off things," I said.

She giggled. "Maybe there's hope for you yet."

The shop was a little intimidating, but with Tanya's expert help I soon found a few things to buy. She bought several things as well, and we were still giggling when we pulled into the parking garage at work and she dropped me off by my car. "Have fun tonight!" she called out.

I leaned in to give her a hug. "I will. Thanks. Tonight was a lot of fun. You're a really good friend," I told her.

"Yeah, you probably don't deserve me, but I'm hard to get rid of," she joked.

I chuckled and hugged her hard before letting go. "I really don't."

We said goodnight and when I was in my apartment, I got everything ready. I took a quick shower and crawled into bed with my phone. Edward answered immediately. "Are you home?"

"Mmhmm."

"Have any luck?" he asked, his voice eager.

I giggled. "Nice to hear your voice, too. I had a lovely evening, thanks for asking, Edward."

"Sorry." He chuckled. "All I've been doing this evening is thinking about you in a sex shop. You are a tease."

"I thought you might like the distraction. Not that what's going on isn't important—"

"But it's nice to think about something other than the situation we're dealing with," he continued. "I am glad you sent me the message. It was an especially rough night."

"Do you want to talk about it?" I asked.

"No. I want to hear about your night. I'll tell you all about it tomorrow, but right now I could use the distraction."

"Okay," I agreed, happy to give Edward whatever he needed. "Well, I got a couple of things. One is to use together."

He sounded intrigued. "What's that?"

"Edible massage oil."

"Hmm, I love that idea. Something to look forward to then."

I smiled. "That's exactly what I was thinking."

"So, did you get something else for you to use alone?" Edward asked.

"Mmm, well we certainly could use it together at some point if you wanted, but yes. I got a vibrator."

I picked it up off the bed. It was nothing like any vibrator I'd ever seen before. I had been completely unimpressed with the rabbit-style vibrator I'd bought before, despite everyone else raving about it. But this one was intriguing. It was small, about the size of an egg, but slightly curved and flattened. It had a wall charger rather than having to worry about batteries. The ones Tanya had given me for my birthday would just have to get used in the remote control for my television.

I described the toy to Edward and I heard him groan lowly. "I really want to hear you use it."

"I'm a little nervous," I admitted. "I've never done this before."

"Neither have I. I have been really frustrated lately though," Edward admitted. "It's only been a few weeks and I'm going crazy without being able to touch you."

"Me, too," I said, sighing. "I didn't want to make it any worse for you, but it's been really difficult."

"I'm hard just thinking about you." He moaned quietly.

"Mmm, I love hearing or seeing how hard you are for me," I said. "Especially when you're wearing a suit. It turns me on so much."

"You like that?" he asked.

"So much. Fuck, you have no idea how many times I imagined being in your office, sucking your cock while you were still fully dressed."

"I'm stroking my cock, wishing you were here in bed with me."

I focused on Edward's voice and the way it made every square inch of my body react. I moaned quietly, closing my eyes. I was wearing a light, cotton robe, with nothing underneath and my nipples were so hard they were poking through the fabric.

I switched to speakerphone, and set it down on the bed. I fumbled for the bottle of lube I'd bought, and put a little on my fingertips, parting my thighs so the robe fell open. "I'm touching myself," I said. "Wishing it was your fingers instead."

"I love the way you look when you're turned on," he said hoarsely. "Your eyes get so dark, and the expression on your face is one of the most beautiful things I've ever seen."

"Fuck, Edward," I moaned.

"Tell me about the vibrator you got," he encouraged me. I picked it up and described it to him. "Touch yourself with it."

Anticipation and nerves made my heart race, and I took a deep breath before turning it on. The lowest setting was a quiet hum and I touched it to my inner thigh first. It sent a jolt of sensation through me, and I quickly moved it to my clit. I gasped and nearly dropped the phone. "It feels so good. God, it's … fuck, it's so good."

He groaned, but didn't say anything.

"Keep talking, Edward," I encouraged him.

I moved it slowly down my slit, dragging it through the wetness there. I shuddered and gasped and he finally spoke.

"I wish I could see you, Bella," he said roughly. "Promise me you'll show me sometime. I can only imagine how beautiful you are right now."

My eyes fluttered closed again, so unbelievably turned on by Edward's voice and the toy. "Yes," I agreed breathlessly. "I'll show you. Tell me what you're doing Edward. Are you rubbing yourself for me?"

"I am. I've been imagining it's your hand wrapped around me. If I were there now, I'd want to watch you using that toy. And I'd be desperate to taste you. Christ, Bella. There is nothing that turns me on more than going down on you." He let out a low groan.

"I love it when you do," I moaned. "You make me come so hard." I slowly circled the vibrator around my clit and gasped when it hit a particularly sensitive spot.

"Are you getting close, Bella?" he asked breathlessly.

"Yes."

"If I can't be there to make you come, I want to hear it when you do. Tell me how it feels."

"It's so different from when I touch myself, or you touch me. It's really intense." My chest heaved and I squirmed on the bed. "I feel all flushed and warm, and it's this tingly pleasure, right on the edge of pain. It's like when you lick my clit after I'm really, really sensitive."

I cradled the toy in my palm, pressing it down harder against me and nearly convulsed at the pleasure streaking through me. It raced over me, and my hand moved faster and faster, sliding the toy back and forth over my clit. "Fuck, Edward …"

He whispered roughly to me, encouraging me to let go. I finally did, crying out, and with a violent shudder I collapsed onto the bed. My slippery fingers fumbled to turn the toy off and panting, I rolled onto my side.

"Oh my God," I said weakly.

"Christ, that was incredible." Edward groaned. "You were spectacular."

"Did you come?" I asked, still breathing raggedly. I fumbled for tissue and wiped my hands off and set the toy on the bedside table to clean later.

"Right after you did. I was going to wait, but hearing you come apart like that did me in."

"I'm sorry I missed it," I said, switching off speakerphone and bringing it to my ear. "That was crazy."

"It sounded like it. Now I _really_ want to watch you use it on yourself. Or maybe I should use it on you."

"Now you're just tormenting me," I said teasingly.

"Hmm, true. It's going to be a while before we can touch each other again, isn't it?" he said, a hint of frustration creeping into his voice.

"Hey, don't do that," I chastised him gently. "We just have to be patient. You have to admit, tonight was fun."

"Mmm, very," he agreed. "Why didn't we do this before?"

I chuckled. "I have no idea."

"I think we should make a regular date for this," he said teasingly, and I agreed.

"Yes, please. God, I owe Tanya big time for this."

"Would she like a house? Or a new car? Because that's about how grateful I'm feeling to her right now."

I laughed. "That is grateful."

We continued to talk for a while, but we both grew sleepy, and finally said goodnight with quiet 'I love you's.'

**~BtBR~**

On Friday afternoon, an unexpected opportunity to move things forward appeared. I was just about to head to lunch with Tanya when I saw Jasper Whitlock sitting in the lobby. He was alone and appeared to be waiting for someone. Hoping he'd have a moment to talk, I decided to introduce myself and ask about any available positions in his department. Edward had been so busy lately and with so much on his mind I didn't want to bother him. And truthfully, I still wasn't completely sold on the idea of him putting in a good word for me. It was better if I did it myself. I told Tanya what I was doing and then smoothed down my skirt and walked confidently into the lobby, stopping just a few feet from where he was sitting.

"Excuse me; do you have a moment, Mr. Whitlock?"

He looked up at me in surprise, but smiled warmly and stood. "Certainly. How can I help you?"

I held out my hand for him to shake. "My name is Isabella Swan. I will be graduating with a degree in marketing in December and I'm hoping to stay here at the hospital. I wanted to let you know I was interested in any positions that might become available."

He grasped my hand and shook firmly. "It's very nice to meet you, Ms. Swan, and I appreciate your enthusiasm. Is it safe to assume you've been keeping an eye on the online postings?"

"Yes."

"So, you know that nothing has been posted in a while." I nodded, and he continued. "Were you looking for a graphics design position, or one in communications?"

"Communications."

He nodded thoughtfully. "I appreciate the direct approach and I'm pleased you introduced yourself to me. This isn't really general knowledge yet, but I appreciate the direct approach and I'm pleased you introduced yourself to me. At the beginning of January, one of the media relations/communications managers in my department is retiring. We aim to hire internally, and it looks like one of the communications specialists in the department will be taking his place as manager. It's all very informal, we still need to do an official interview, but should she get the management position, her position will open up."

"Thank you for letting me know," I said. "I appreciate it."

"Tell you what," Jasper said, frowning thoughtfully. "Put together a resume and cover letter for me, and send it through interdepartmental mail. I'll look it over, and get back to you as soon as I know more about what's happening."

"I'd be happy to. Thank you, sir," I said warmly.

He grinned at me. "Thank _you_, Miss Swan. I look forward to hearing from you."

That night when I told Edward about it, he was thrilled. "That's wonderful. I love that you took the initiative. Once Jasper has your resume, let me know and I'll be sure to let him know that you've been an exemplary employee."

"Okay," I agreed. "That sounds good. I spent a couple of hours revamping my resume and cover letter. Would you mind taking a look?"

"Of course not," he said. "Anything I can do to help."

Early January was a bit later than I'd hoped for, but with the holidays, it wasn't altogether surprising. The fact that any position was opening up at all was lucky. Hopefully things were finally going our way.

* * *

**Notes:** How did you like Bella's talk with Tanya? And what about their little trip to buy toys? I think the conversation after is just what Bella and Edward needed to relieve some stress. And Bella has her foot in the door for a job in Marketing so things are starting to look up!

I started a Facebook group called Discordia's Library. If you'd like to join, add me as a friend on FB, and let me know you'd like to be added to the group.

Please stop by to chat or look for teasers in the following places:

Facebook: www*facebook*com/DiscordiaWriter

Facebook Group: Discordia's Library

Twitter: DiscordiaWrites

Tumblr: discordiawriter*tumblr*com/


	19. Chapter 18 - The Dining Room

**Notes:** Huge thanks to my pre-readers: Deb Arrington, Mandi Niko, and Jules Twifanawesomesox; my beta: Alice's White Rabbit; and my Validation beta: Totoro

Glad to hear most of you seem to like Tanya. It's fun writing a nice Tanya. There are too many obnoxious ones in FFn.

I know you've all been really eager to see Bella and Maggie spend some time together. Well, here you go! Enjoy!

* * *

**Chapter 18: The Dining Room**

When Edward called me on Saturday night, he sounded a little nervous. It took him a few minutes, but he finally spit out what he wanted to ask me. "How would you feel about having dinner with Maggie and me tomorrow?"

"Uhh, is that a good idea?" I asked, settling back onto my bed.

"I think it is," he said. "She had another therapy session yesterday after school. She had a bit of a meltdown last night, but we talked for a long time today. I think she's doing better. She admitted that she lied to Heidi when she said that you were rude to her and that we were behaving inappropriately in front of her. I can't say I'm happy to hear that she did that, but at least I have a better idea why Heidi showed up at my house in the first place. Thankfully, Maggie volunteered that information when it came up."

"Why did she lie in the first place?" I asked.

He sighed. "It's complicated. Number one, she didn't like the idea that my attention was focused on anyone but her. Number two, I think a small part of her hoped that if I got rid of you, there was a chance that Heidi and I might get back together, even if that idea is completely ridiculous."

"How does she feel about that now?"

"Well, she never wants to speak to her mother again, and certainly doesn't want Heidi and I together now."

"Okay. I just worry that she'll be jealous of the divided attention. Especially right now, because I'm sure she needs it badly."

"I think her opinion of you has changed quite a lot. When I talk about you, she doesn't seem hostile anymore. Truth be told, she actually sounds curious."

"I have to be honest, it makes me nervous, but I trust you, Edward. If you think she can handle dinner, then I'll be there."

When I pulled up to Edward's house on Sunday evening, the garage door was down, so I parked in the driveway and walked to the front entrance. It felt odd, knocking on the front door like a guest, rather than using the door between the garage and kitchen like I had in the past. My heart was hammering in my chest when the door swung open and I felt jittery and anxious.

I only had time to register that Edward was grinning widely before he tugged me into the entryway and his lips were on mine. The bag in my hand lowered to the floor and the moment his arms wrapped around me, I melted against him. It had only been three weeks since we last touched each other, but it felt like years. The scent of his cologne hit me first. The familiarity of the light, crisp smell made me clutch him even tighter, and when his lips parted and his tongue touched mine, I moaned quietly. We kissed heatedly. Desperately. Our bodies meshing together as we tried to get as close to each other as possible. We were both gasping when Edward finally pulled back a little.

"Christ, I've missed you," he murmured against my mouth.

"I've missed you, too, Edward."

He gripped me to him tightly before pulling back to place a sweet, lingering kiss on my forehead. The contrast between the two actions was stark, but it was just like Edward; an intriguing blend of passion and tenderness. I cupped his cheek in my hand, feeling the smooth planes of his freshly-shaven jaw.

He was dressed nicely in a pair of charcoal slacks and a crisp white button down shirt. I drank in the sight of him, needing to look at him for more than the stolen, furtive glances I was allowed at work.

He spoke quietly. "I'm glad you came tonight."

"Oh, shit." I blanched as I remembered why I was here. "Where is Maggie?"

Edward gave me a rueful grin and nodded toward the stairs. "Up in her room. We're okay."

"Thank God. I would have felt awful if she caught us again." I cringed. I had completely forgotten myself for a moment.

"I wouldn't have gotten that carried away if she was down here," he reassured me.

"I just feel terrible that I didn't even think of her." I smoothed down his collar, guilt and nerves making my hands tremble.

"You've been thinking about her for weeks. Your patience and understanding in this situation is really remarkable. I love you, Bella. I couldn't have dealt with this without you."

"You wouldn't have had to deal with it if it weren't for me," I pointed out. "I feel horrible that I'm the reason Maggie found out about Heidi."

Edward shook his head. "It could have happened some other time—in some other way. I don't want you to think that you're to blame for this. Heidi chose to be unfaithful, and _she_ was the one who let it slip to Maggie. Yes, the disagreement over our relationship is why Heidi was here, but I'm not going to let you blame yourself for a situation that was out of your control."

"Do you blame yourself?" I asked bluntly, knowing Edward's tendency to take on blame for situations that were entirely out of his control as well.

He sighed. "I am trying not to. I regret that I didn't tell Maggie before this. This was probably the worst way for her to find out what happened. But I can't change that, all I can do is move forward and help her cope."

"I am really nervous about tonight," I admitted.

"I know." He slid his hand under my hair and tilted my head so he could look into my eyes. "But I think you'll be pleasantly surprised. Maggie really seems to have opened up to the idea of you. I'm not saying she's ready to welcome you with open arms, but she's trying."

"I'm glad. I'm just so afraid of making the situation worse. What if I say the wrong thing?"

"Bella, you're a caring woman who wants to do the right thing. I can't promise that tonight will go perfectly—hell, it may not even go smoothly—but I promise that Maggie knows now that you only have our best interests at heart. She might not admit it, but you have _no idea_ how much her opinion of you has gone up in the last few weeks. You put her first, something her mother has almost never done, and she saw that."

"I just want it to go well," I said nervously.

"I know you do and I love you for that, but try not to worry. Relax, and trust me. We will muddle through this the best we can. You're here, and making an effort; that's all I need."

"Okay."

He observed me for a long moment before pressing another kiss to my forehead and letting me go. "I'm going to go check on dinner. Want to join me?"

"I am going to touch up my lipstick; I'll be there in a moment."

"Do you want me to take your bag?" he asked, gesturing to the cloth market bag I'd brought with me.

"Yes, please."

I grabbed my clutch purse and handed the market bag to Edward. He walked into the kitchen as I ducked into the bathroom just off the entryway and took a moment to pull myself together again. Edward's words had reassured me, but I still felt a flutter of nerves in my stomach. I'd been anxious about it since Edward invited me.

I'd spent hours agonizing about picking out an outfit. _What on earth _does_ a twenty-three year old woman wear when she's having dinner with her boyfriend and his sixteen-year-old daughter?_ I wondered.

_I tried on everything from jeans to a cocktail dress, and my room was covered in clothes by the time I finally sat down and thought about what image I was trying to project. I wanted something dressy enough that it would set me apart from what a teenager would wear. Something that wasn't too revealing, but classy enough to be elegant without looking old and stodgy. I searched for an outfit that made me feel pretty, confident, and stylish enough that Maggie wouldn't think I was boring. I groaned and buried my face in my pillow. That was asking an awful lot of clothing. _

_Still, it gave me a better idea of what I was aiming for and I stood up and sorted my clothes into categories. Jeans were definitely out. Dressy slacks felt too much like work clothing. A black, sleeveless dress with a plunging V-neck was definitely out. It wasn't until my hand landed on a purple wrap dress that I finally felt like I had something that was a possibility. _

_I held it up and inspected it closely. It was made of a soft, drape-y jersey material, with three-quarter-length sleeves, a conservative V-shaped neckline, and a just below the knee-length hemline. It was a deep plum color with an interesting detail at the waist. I put it on and immediately knew it was what I should wear. _

_It made me look effortlessly sophisticated. I certainly didn't look like a high school student, but there was nothing stodgy or old-ladyish about it either. With some dressy, black suede pumps, and some simple but stylish gold jewelry it would project exactly what I was aiming for. _

_I hoped._

I shook my head and glanced at my appearance in the mirror again before smoothing my hair and retouching my lipstick. I'd curled my hair but left it loose and down. And with just enough eye makeup to enhance my eyes, some soft, neutral lipstick, and a bit of blush, it was the perfect complement to the dress. Now, I just needed to go out there and do my best to win Maggie over.

I snapped my purse closed with a decisive snap and walked out of the bathroom with my head held high. Edward was alone in the kitchen, standing over a pan on the stove, and he greeted me with a warm smile before turning the heat down on the burner. "All set?"

"Yes."

"You look beautiful by the way."

"You like it?"

"I love it. You're perfect."

I flushed and set my purse down on the counter before walking over to him. "Is there anything I can do to help?"

"No, I think everything is just about ready. Wine?"

I nodded gratefully. I had no intentions of drinking more than a glass or two, but a little bit of wine would hopefully take the edge off my nerves. Edward retrieved and uncorked the bottle of white wine he'd had chilling in the refrigerator. "What did you make?"

"Roast pork tenderloin, salad, smashed potatoes, and sautéed green beans."

"That sounds amazing."

He poured the wine into two glasses and offered one to me. I took it and he tilted his glass toward mine. "A toast?"

"Sure, what are we toasting to?"

"To spending the evening with my daughter and the woman I love. And to them finding some common ground."

We clinked glasses and I took a sip before remembering that I needed to refrigerate the dessert.

"Oh, I mixed up batter for molten chocolate cakes for after dinner," I told Edward, setting my wine down and pulling the container from the bag. "I need to keep it chilled."

His eyes gleamed. "You have no idea how excited I am about trying that."

I chuckled. "I used my mom's recipe. They're actually very easy, but they always look impressive."

"I am sure Maggie and I will love them," he said confidently.

I put the covered bowl in the refrigerator and walked back over to Edward. I tried not to gulp my wine down, but it was awfully tempting. We were standing in the kitchen quietly talking and drinking our wine when I heard Maggie come down the stairs. Edward didn't move, but I stood up straighter and set my glass down on the counter.

She was subdued as she came into the room. She was dressed in jeans and a cute, blue top. It was casual, but seemed she'd made an effort. I smiled at her, but she didn't really meet my eyes as she walked over to her father. Edward put his hand on her back and spoke. "Why don't we start out with a clean slate? Maggie, I'd like you to meet my girlfriend, Bella. Bella, this is my daughter, Maggie."

"Nice to meet you," I said, smiling at her again.

"You, too." Her voice was quiet, and her gaze flicked over me and then dropped. It wasn't the warmest welcome, but it was a marked change from the way she'd acted the first time we met. Truthfully, I would take whatever I could get.

"So," Edward said, "dinner will be ready in a few moments. Maggie, why don't you get water and pour some for all of us. Glasses are on the dining room table."

"Okay," she agreed quietly.

Edward lifted the lid on the pan the green beans were in, releasing a cloud of steam. "Could you hand me the salt and pepper, Bella? They're right behind you."

I handed them over to him, and he seasoned the green beans, giving them a quick stir before turning off the heat.

"Excuse me," Maggie said, her voice barely above a whisper. I blinked in surprise and then stepped toward Edward as Maggie opened the refrigerator door so she could get ice and water to fill a pitcher. "Thank you."

"You're welcome."

Edward handed me a bowl of smashed potatoes, "Here, if you can grab this and your wine, I can get the rest."

We all went into the dining room, and the awkwardness was broken as we placed dishes on the table and took our seats. Edward was at the head of the large, wooden, oval table, Maggie to his left, and I was across from her to his right.

Maggie had filled the glasses with ice water and I took a sip, wanting to be sure I didn't let the wine go to my head too quickly. I had hardly eaten all day, nerves making my stomach too unsettled to choke anything down.

Aside from a few pleasantries, we were all fairly quiet as serving dishes went around the table, and we put food on our plates and began to eat.

"This is all really good, Edward," I said.

He smiled at me. "Thanks. Maggie helped me make the potatoes."

"They're great," I told her.

She gave me an almost shy-looking smile and Edward changed the subject, making small talk with her about school. She warmed up as he asked her questions, and I gathered that she and the three friends who had showed up at Halloween were all very close, and spent a great deal of time together. I listened attentively as she chattered about them, telling Edward stories about things they'd said or done. Some of the stories I didn't have much context for, but I listened anyway, trying to get to know Maggie in any way I could.

I mostly kept quiet, although I tried to interject if I had something relevant to say. Edward refilled my wine glass and I alternated that with water. With some food in my stomach, at least now I wasn't afraid I was going to end up drunk. Edward sent me a soft smile every so often, his expression encouraging. Maggie's tense posture relaxed as we went on, her gaze even meeting mine occasionally as she described a funny story about school.

"Oh, by the way, I am _so_ annoyed," she said. "We usually go shopping the weekend after Thanksgiving. But this year Jess is at her dad's house, Lauren is grounded, and Amy has family stuff. It sucks."

"You know, I'd probably take you," Edward pointed out, "if you asked me nicely."

She rolled her eyes, but her expression was playful. "Ugh, gross. I'd rather stay at home than go clothes shopping with my _dad_."

He grinned at her, and for just a moment Maggie's face lit up in a grin that was so reminiscent of Edward's I almost gasped out loud. Her smile quickly fell, and she looked down at her plate, pushing at her potatoes with her fork. "It just sucks this year," she muttered.

I wondered if she and her mother often went shopping together. The last thing I wanted to do was make her think I was trying to take her mother's place, but she looked so disappointed at not being able to go, that I risked it.

"I would go with you," I blurted out. "I mean, if you wanted …"

The look of surprise on her face made me hold my breath, expecting a vehement no. But she shot me a glance out of the corner of her eye, looked at her father, and then nodded quickly. "Yeah, um, that would be okay."

I managed to keep my jaw from dropping in shock, and did my best to smile at her. I was thrilled that she agreed, but when I offered, it had seemed like a long shot. I never expected her to say yes. "I'll be gone for part of the weekend, but I could go shopping on Sunday, if that works for you, Maggie."

She nodded. "Um, sure. That's fine. Where are you going?"

"Oh," I said, startled that she'd gone out of her way to ask me a question. It took me a moment to catch up. "To visit my family. They live in Silverton. It's about an hour south of here. Have you ever been there?"

She shook her head. "No."

"I usually go there on the Wednesday before Thanksgiving and come home late Sunday. But I could come back Saturday night instead. We can go shopping whenever on Sunday."

"Oh, you don't have to go with me," she said. "I mean, if you already have plans."

"No, I want to," I reassured her hastily. "I'd really like it, actually."

"Okay."

I glanced over at Edward and the pleased expression on his face was impossible to miss. He reached under the table and took my hand, squeezing it gently before letting go.

"What does your family usually do for Thanksgiving?" he asked me.

"Nothing exciting, really. Just a traditional Thanksgiving dinner with turkey and stuffing on Thursday, and then it's usually a pretty relaxed weekend. Sometimes my parents get their Christmas tree, and I help them decorate. It all depends on my father's work schedule."

"Is he gone a lot?" Maggie asked.

"He's chief of police for the town, so it varies. A lot depends on how many of his deputies request it off. He's always around on Thanksgiving Day though, unless there's a big emergency. It's a small, quiet town, so he doesn't get called out often."

"Oh." Maggie nodded.

"What do you two do?" I asked Edward.

"Maggie and I go to my parents' home," he explained. "And my brother and his wife come as well."

"Grandma Cullen is such a good cook," Maggie said. "I love her food."

Edward grinned. "She is a good cook and my father carves a mean turkey."

"Aunt Esme makes the best pumpkin pies though," Maggie pointed out.

"She does," he agreed. "And if she's feeling extra ambitious, she usually makes me a pecan pie as well."

"That sounds nice," I said. "It's just the three of us, so it's pretty quiet."

"You're an only child?" Maggie asked curiously.

"Yes."

"Did you mind?"

I shook my head. "No, not really."

"I did when I was little. I wanted a brother," she said wistfully. She frowned down at her plate, and finished her last few bites of food. I had no idea how to respond. There were dozens of potential landmines I could stumble onto, so I decided to remain quiet. When we'd all finished dinner, Maggie pushed her plate away and looked up at Edward as if asking him what came next. To be honest, I had no idea either.

"Bella brought dessert. How about you help me clear the table, Maggie, while she gets it ready?" he suggested.

"Okay," she agreed. She seemed subdued again, but she wasn't hostile. I was hopeful that the whole evening wasn't lost. As I carried my plate into the kitchen and pulled the cake batter from the refrigerator, I thought that dinner had actually gone much better than I had anticipated. Awkward, yes. But not a disaster at all like I'd feared.

Although I was starting to grow a little nervous at the thought of spending an afternoon alone with Maggie at the mall, the fact that she was willing to go was a great sign.

I watched as she and her father worked together to clear the dining room table, put the dishes in the dishwasher, and clean the kitchen. I stayed back and just observed them while they cleaned. Her mood lightened a little, as he teased her. I enjoyed their interaction and could see the similarities in their expressions. Along with the matching grins, their heavily lashed green eyes were nearly identical.

While I watched, I pre-heated the oven, spooned the batter into a muffin tin, and put it in to bake. "What are you making?" Maggie asked curiously after observing me for a moment.

"One of my favorites: chocolate lava cakes," I explained. "Oh, do you have a mixer, Edward? I wasn't sure if you did, so I brought ingredients to make whipped cream, and I brought ice cream in case you didn't."

"I do have one," he said. "But is there any reason we can't have both?"

I shot him an amused grin and teased him, "You have the worst sweet tooth!"

Edward nudged Maggie with his elbow. "Come on, Maggie would like it, too. Can you really resist that face?"

He gestured toward her, and I giggled when I saw her pouting. They were both pouting, to be honest, and he was right. I couldn't resist it. They were downright adorable. I giggled. "Fine, fine, we'll do both."

They grinned at each other triumphantly, and for the first time I finally felt like maybe the three of us could do this, maybe we could all make this work. I was smiling as Edward helped me make the whipped cream, and Maggie pulled out small plates. It didn't take long for the cakes to bake, and we topped them with both vanilla ice cream and whipped cream. Edward and Maggie both heaped them on, until you could barely see the chocolate cakes under the cloud of white.

I shook my head at them in amusement. We ate standing up in the kitchen, the awkwardness from earlier gone.

"These are _so_ good, Bella," Maggie gushed. The happiness that washed over me was almost overwhelming.

"Thank you, Maggie," I said sincerely. "I am really glad you like them. I hoped you would."

Edward's arm pressed against mine, and I pressed right back, a smile playing on my lips as I looked down at my plate. It would take a hell of a lot of work and way more than chocolate to totally win her over. But I believed that Maggie would come around to trust and like me eventually. Sure, there were going to be weird, awkward times. I'd probably make mistakes, and Maggie would hate me some days.

But I could do this. Moreover, I _wanted_ to do this.

**~BtBR~**

Maggie went up to her room shortly after dessert. She left with a kiss on the cheek for her father, and a quiet thank you to me for the lava cakes. I helped Edward take care of the last of the dishes and then we went into his library. He pulled the door most of the way closed behind us, but didn't shut it completely. He flicked on the low lamp on his desk, and settled into the chair behind it, pulling me down with him.

"You did so well tonight," he said, playing with the ends of my hair. I shifted on his lap so I could see him better.

"You think so?"

"I know so," he said confidently. "That went better than I ever dreamed it would."

"I'm glad. I was so nervous," I admitted.

"Well, you didn't show it at all. You looked calm and relaxed."

"I felt like I was going to pass out."

Edward kissed me soundly before drawing back again. "Well, you were perfect."

"I was terrified there for a minute. I told her I'd go shopping with her and I thought she was going to hate me for even suggesting it."

"Honestly, I think she was impressed that you were brave enough to do it."

"I thought maybe it was something she and Heidi did together so I was afraid she'd think I was trying to replace Heidi or something, which is not at all what I'm going for," I rambled.

"She saw it for what it was; a sincere effort on your part to spend time with her."

"I thought she'd never talk to me again when the only child thing came up." I groaned and buried my head against Edward's shoulder.

He chuckled at my reaction and wrapped his arm more firmly around my waist. "I'll admit I got a little worried there, too. Maggie's still coming to terms with the idea that Heidi and I will get back together is completely gone. A second child was completely out of the question for Heidi, but Maggie has no real concept of how strongly her mother felt about that. So not only is she coping with the loss of her mother but of the idea that she could have had a sibling."

"Did you want a second child?" I asked, curious to know what his response would be.

"At various points. When Heidi moved back here to Portland, Maggie was little, and things were going well; so then yes, I did. Heidi wouldn't consider it. But as our relationship grew more and more strained, I gave up on the idea completely. I knew Heidi wouldn't change her mind and even if she had, I wouldn't have wanted to bring another child into our lives. There were too many problems."

"I was just curious."

"I don't mind." He drew me even closer to him, and I leaned in to kiss him briefly. He drew back and rubbed his thumb across my lower lip. "I want to thank you again for being willing to do this tonight."

"It was pretty scary," I admitted. "But I want to get to know Maggie. I'll admit that at first when we started dating, the idea of making an effort with Maggie was more about you than anything else. But I genuinely would like to get to know her now. I'm really nervous about shopping, but I asked because I wanted to make her happy. I hated how disappointed she was at not being able to go."

Edward's voice was thick as he spoke. "I'm not sure I can begin to tell you how that makes me feel. As a father, it makes me love you all the more to hear that you care about my child."

I wasn't sure how to respond, so instead I whispered, "I love you."

We sat in his library for a long time, talking quietly, and occasionally kissing. Although desire simmered under the surface, this wasn't the time or the place to act on it. When I reluctantly told Edward I should head home, he helped me gather my things from the kitchen and walked me out to my car. To my amusement, I felt like Edward and I were the ones who were teenagers when we spent a while making out by my car before he finally let me go.

As I drove home that night, I felt like I had passed an important test. If Maggie and I couldn't get along, there would be no way of making a relationship with Edward work, at least not long-term. But, tonight had proven that it was possible. It would just take time and patience; two things I was more than willing to give Edward and his daughter.

Rose had become my confidante in all things Edward and Maggie related, so once I was home, showered, and changed into pajamas, I called her.

"How did it go?" she asked.

"Surprisingly well, actually," I answered. I described the evening to her and she listened attentively, asking a few questions as they came up, but mostly letting me recount the story before she replied.

"I have to say, it does sound like it went well. Good, I'm really happy for you, hun."

"I just feel like a huge weight has been lifted off my chest," I admitted. "There was this part of me worrying that if I couldn't get Maggie to like me, my relationship with Edward didn't stand a chance. Which is realistic, I think, but still a scary thought."

"I'm sure," Rose said softly. "I have to admit, I was pretty apprehensive about all of this working out, but I am glad it did."

"It's hard, because I don't know who I'm supposed to be to her," I said with a sigh. "I'm not her mother, I'm certainly not her friend, and there are all kinds of disgusting implications if I'm her sister"—Rose laughed loudly—"but I don't know who I'm supposed to be."

"Creepy family relations aside, did you ever have an older cousin you spent time with?"

"Hmm, yeah. Why, you think I should be her cousin?"

"Well, not literally," Rose said, sounding exasperated. "I just think that if you put yourself in that mindset, it might work. Think of yourself as someone just a bit older, someone she could look up to. Someone who isn't her parent but still looks out for her and has her best interests at heart. Look, I think you're over-thinking this, Bella."

"Probably," I admitted.

"Just relax. It sounds like she's in a rough spot right now, but she's clearly trying to make an effort. It's shitty that she found out about her mom that way, but it's probably the best thing for you, actually. Right now, Maggie wants to do the complete opposite of what her mother would want. And that means getting close to you. By the time she forgives her mother, she'll have realized what a great person you are. I'm sure that this entire experience will be a big opportunity for growth. She's bound to mature because of it. Maturing often means seeing other people's needs outside of your own. She'll see that you genuinely care about her and her father. That'll go a long way."

"I'm just scared of screwing up," I confessed. "What if I do it all wrong? What the fuck was I thinking suggesting that I take her shopping?"

Rose chuckled. "Breathe, Bella. It's going to be okay. It's just shopping. Try to treat it like shopping with me. Well, minus the talk about how good our men are in bed."

I shuddered. "That's not even funny, Rose. And I'm serious, I am freaking out here!"

"Look, Bella, it's going to be fine. Let her lead the conversation. You'll do more to get her to like you by listening, than by anything you can say."

"What if she talks about her mother?"

"Then let her talk and keep your responses as polite as possible. The last thing you want to do is bad-mouth Heidi. Maggie may be pissed at her right now, but you can't be."

"How are you so good at this?" I asked.

"It's just common sense. If you weren't so close to the issue, you'd be able to see that."

Eventually Rose talked me down from the ledge, and my panic gradually subsided. She was right, I was making too big of a deal out of this. Maggie was probably just as nervous about it as I was.

* * *

**Notes:** Well, how do you think they did? It was a little awkward, but overall, I think it went remarkably well. Maggie's trying, and Bella was brave enough to invite her to go shopping. How do you think that'll go?

"Beyond the Break Room" is up for fic of the week on The Lemonade Stand again! If you are feeling so inclined, please go vote. There are some other really great stories in the running as well. www*tehlemonadestand*net/

I recently started a Facebook group called Discordia's Library. If you'd like to join, add me as a friend on FB, and let me know you'd like to be added to the group.

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	20. Chapter 19 - The Swan's House

**Notes:** Huge thanks to my pre-readers: Deb Arrington, Mandi Niko, and Jules Twifanawesomesox; my beta: Alice's White Rabbit; and my Validation beta: Totoro

I am glad to see you all seem to like the way Bella and Maggie's relationship is developing. They won't become close overnight, but now they have a real chance to get to know each other.

* * *

**Chapter Nineteen: The Swan's House**

On the Wednesday before Thanksgiving, the lab closed early and so did registration; so by noon, I was heading back home to change and pack before I drove to my parents' house. Halfway there, I got a text from Edward.

_**Any chance I could see you before you leave?**_

_**I'd love to see you. Where?**_

_**Your place? I'm just leaving work now.**_

_**See you in twenty.**_

Edward knocked on my door shortly after I got home and I let him in. He wrapped himself around me and greeted me with a kiss. "I'm going to miss you this weekend."

I smiled, knowing how much I'd miss him, too. "I know. I'm glad you came over."

"Maggie won't be home until three and I decided to leave early today."

"I'm sure there is some rule against leaving work early to come see your employee," I teased.

"Good thing I came to see my girlfriend, then. How soon do you need to head out?"

I shrugged. "I can leave any time I want. It's only about an hour drive."

"I have to admit, I have an ulterior motive for coming over this afternoon," he admitted.

"Yeah? What's that?"

"I am desperate to touch you."

My lips curved up into a smile. "You say that like it's a bad thing—or like I don't feel exactly the same way. It's been a _long_ time since you last touched me." I took his hand and led him down the hall to my bedroom. I had no interest in playing coy. Edward and I had limited time together and I wanted to take advantage of every moment.

When we made it to my bedroom, we undressed each other, our clothes ending up on a chair by the bed. He lowered me to the sheets and kissed me deeply, our bodies tangling together. I moaned when his hair-roughened thigh slid between mine and his thumb brushed over my nipple. This was somewhere between the frantic desperation of the last time he'd been at my place and the sweet slowness of the night we'd confessed our love to each other. Our touches were heated and hungry, but tempered by the need to emotionally re-connect. His lips were hot and wet on my throat as his fingers delved between my legs, spreading the slickness up over my clit.

My bed was much smaller than the one we were used to being in together and it limited our movements. With his knees on either side of my thigh and one elbow planted on the bed by my head, his body hovered over mine. I clutched at his shoulders, the urgent need for more, more, more pushing us on. I whimpered his name as two fingers pressed into me. I reached between our bodies to grasp his cock and he groaned, meshing our mouths together as we worked to bring each other pleasure.

"Need you." He groaned lowly as I tightened my grip on him. I let him go as his fingers slid out of me. We shifted together, my thighs wrapping around his hips as his cock pushed into me. I moaned at the feeling of him filling me after weeks of being without him. My hands wrapped around his biceps as I tilted my hips to move with his. The rhythm we found together was so familiar. So _good_.

My head fell onto the pillow, my hands clutching at his back, urging him on. I came quickly, crying out loudly as he groaned his own release and shuddered against me. He fell onto the bed beside me, tugging me so I rolled with him. His hand cradled my face, his expression content. For a while, we lay there exchanging slow, languid kisses.

"Love you," I whispered.

"I love you, too."

I shivered and Edward drew the bedding up over me. "I know it isn't possible, but there's a part of me that just wants to disappear from the real world right now," he said, propping his head up on his hand.

"What do you mean?"

"I want to pull the covers over our heads, ignore the fact that we both have people who are expecting us to be somewhere in a few hours, and spend the whole weekend in bed with you. I got so spoiled by our weekends together," he said ruefully.

"I did, too. We're a ways off from being able to do that again, aren't we?"

"Probably," he said honestly. "Maggie is nowhere near ready to talk to her mother, so it will be a while before she goes back to living with Heidi part time—if ever. Although she is definitely warming up to you, I don't want to push it by having you spend the night yet."

"I understand."

"What I'd really like is to take you away for a long weekend. I'm just not sure this is the best timing. It isn't that I don't trust her alone; she's almost seventeen and I think she'd be fine. She's not the type to throw a crazy party or anything. I'm just not sure I feel comfortable with it because of what she's been dealing with."

"I don't either," I said. "And I don't want her to feel like you're abandoning her to spend time with me."

Edward paused before speaking, a thoughtful expression crossing his face. "This sounds so insignificant compared to how it makes me feel but, Bella, I couldn't be more grateful that you're doing this for me."

"But it's not just for you," I pointed out. "It's for Maggie and myself as well. The other night it finally clicked for me; what this could all mean for the three of us. Of course I'm doing it for you, but I'm doing it for all of us. _We're_ doing this for all of us."

Edward's voice was a little rough. "I've said it before, but I will say it again. You continually astound me."

"You say that like you expected me to fail."

He sighed. "Expected you to? No. Not at _all_. Would I have blamed you if it was more than you could handle? No."

"I have to admit, I think I've surprised myself a little."

**~BtBR~**

We spent the rest of our time together making love and my legs were still trembling when we finally got up to shower. Edward turned on the water and I twisted my hair up on the top of my head and secured it, so I wouldn't have to dry it.

I glanced at his reflection behind me in the mirror. I opened my mouth to say something but a quiet whimper was all that left my lips when he stepped closer and trailed his fingertips down my bare back. I was reminded of that first weekend at his place right after Maggie interrupted us in the kitchen. Then, I'd felt young and frightened of what lay ahead of us and unsure if I even wanted to begin a relationship with Edward. I remembered looking at our reflection and seeing two people who were worlds apart.

Now I saw two people standing close enough to support each other, two people who belonged together. It wasn't that Edward or I looked any different outwardly, but my perception of things was drastically different. I felt years older than I had just three months prior. Not in a bad way, but like I'd grown and matured. Maybe I had.

I turned around to face Edward and he tilted his head, studying me quizzically as if trying to figure out what was going on in my head.

"I love you, Edward," I choked out, tears welling up in my eyes. "And I'm so glad I didn't run after that first weekend. I would have missed out on so much."

"I love you, too. I don't know if I ever said this but thank you for giving Maggie and me a chance." He cradled my face in his hands and kissed me tenderly. Starting on each eyelid, his lips moved to my forehead, and finally to my lips.

He tugged me into the now warm shower, our bodies pressed tightly together because of the small space. He whispered in my ear. "Thank you for not taking no for an answer when I told you we shouldn't be together."

We showered and dressed. I filched a white undershirt of his and tucked it into the bag I was packing for the weekend. Rather than dress in the clothes I'd worn to work, I changed into jeans, boots, and a warm sweater. It had turned cold this week, the temperatures dropping substantially. I packed while Edward wandered around my room. I glanced at him in his charcoal suit. His hands were jammed in his pockets and I smiled at the sight of him in my bedroom. A framed picture on the bookcase made him pause and he stared at it for a while.

"Those are your parents?" he asked.

"Yes. It was taken last summer."

"You look like both of them," he commented.

"Yeah, I do." I tucked the last of my clothes into my weekend bag and zipped it shut.

"How do you think they'll take the news of us?" he asked.

"I don't know," I said honestly. "I hope they're open-minded about it, but either way, they will come around eventually I'm sure."

Edward grabbed my bag and carried it to the front door. He helped me into my coat and I wound a warm scarf around my neck. I slipped my gloves into my pockets. I turned to face Edward and he caught me by surprise. He leaned in and kissed me deeply and hungrily, his body pressing me against the door. I moaned quietly, even as the doorknob dug into my back. "Christ, I am going to miss you," he murmured against my lips.

I sighed and skimmed my palm against his jaw. "Me, too. I wish you could come with me."

Edward chuckled softly. "I'm sure your father would love that."

I shuddered at the thought. "True. Easing him into it is better."

We spent the next few minutes talking and kissing, trying to make the moments enough to last us through the weekend. Edward brushed one last kiss across my lips before stepping back. "I love you," he murmured. "Call me tonight."

"I will. I love you, too. So much." With a final squeeze of my hand, he let me go, and slipped out the door. I gathered my bags and followed a few minutes later.

**~BtBR~**

Giddy from the stolen moments with Edward, the hour drive passed quickly and in no time at all I found myself in front of my parents' modest two-story house.

The moment I stepped through the door, my mother was waiting for me. Apparently she'd seen me pull into the driveway.

"Oh, honey, you look so good. We've missed you so much!" She hugged me enthusiastically and I laughed and hugged her back. She was grinning from ear to ear, and I shook my head at her in amusement.

"I missed you guys, too. Is Dad at work?"

"Yes. He has tomorrow off, and he's working the late shift on Friday so he could spend lots of time with you. That means it's girls' night tonight," she squealed.

"Can I at least get in the door first?" I teased her.

"Oh, of course! Let me grab your bag." Once I was inside the door, she shut it behind me and I relaxed in the warm, fragrant air.

"Mulled cider?" I asked, unwrapping my scarf and peeling off my coat. "It smells so good."

"Of course! Can't mess with tradition." My mom's blue eyes twinkled. I had my father's hair and eye color, but my features were my mother's.

"Good."

"Now, you get comfy in the living room and I'll bring you a mug."

"Thanks." I grinned at her, hung up my things, and tugged off my boots before hauling my suitcase up the stairs to my old bedroom. I grabbed my phone out of my purse and made my way back downstairs and into the living room.

I quickly texted Edward to let him know I'd arrived safely and smiled at the immediate response.

_**Have a good weekend. I'll miss you. Love you and I hope things go well. **_

I was just about to reply when my mom spoke. "So you _are_ seeing someone and you're definitely in love with him. Who is he?"

"Jesus," I gasped and the phone slipped from my hand, falling to the floor. I scrambled for it, and finally managed to grab it and right myself. "What are you talking about, Mom?"

"You are in love with whoever you were just thinking about. I'll bet you anything. I know that look, honey."

I bit my lip and hesitated. "Mom … I …"

She frowned and walked over to me, setting down the two mugs and the plate she was carrying on the coffee table. "What is it, Bella? You know you can tell me anything."

"Just … promise not to freak out, okay?"

Her eyes widened. "You aren't pregnant, are you?"

I laughed in spite of myself. "No, Mom. I'm not pregnant and I didn't run off to Vegas to get married either."

She looked relieved. "Oh, well, that was my next question."

"I knew it would be."

She took a seat on the couch beside me and reached for my hand. "Come on, just get it out."

"I'm dating someone from work. He's … uh, well … he's older than I am."

Her eyebrows rose. "Older?"

"Quite a bit, actually. He's … well, he's thirty-nine."

She gasped, and her hand flew to her mouth in surprise. "Well, I … I certainly didn't expect that."

"I know, but I do love him, Mom. He's absolutely incredible."

Her face softened. "I'm happy for you, honey. I really am."

"Well, that's not all of it. It's not even close to all of it."

Her expression grew cautious. "Are you sleeping with a married man, Bella?"

"What? No, I would never do that," I protested. "How can you even think that? He's divorced. We didn't do anything until six months after it was final."

"Well, I have to admit I was surprised by the idea of you being with a married man. Divorced, that's not ideal, but it's not the end of the world."

"He has a daughter," I blurted out. "She's sixteen."

"Oh, well. That's … it's … I don't even know what to say, Bella."

I squeezed my eyes tightly shut and covered my face with my hands. "That's not the worst of it. He's the vice president for my department."

She didn't make a peep. I cautiously opened my eyes to see her staring at me, slack-jawed.

"Aren't you going to say anything, Mom?" I pleaded. Her mouth opened and closed a few times, but nothing came out.

She finally blinked, took a deep breath, shook her head and spoke. "I don't know _what_ to say, Bella."

"I love him, Mom. _So much_. More than I've ever loved anyone else and he loves me, too."

She spoke cautiously. "I'm just … concerned. You may be an adult, but I'm your mother, so I worry. I need you to tell me, was there anything coercive at all about him pursuing you? Have you ever felt like you didn't have a choice or that your job was at risk?"

"No. Oh, Mom, no, nothing like that. Not at all. I … God, no. If anything, _I_ was the one who pursued him. Believe me, he was actually really, really hesitant."

She relaxed a little. "Well, good. I'm glad to hear that. It's a bit of a relief. Come on, let's drink our cider and you can tell me more about him."

She handed me the mug of cider and I took it, grateful for the momentary interruption. The plate of desserts she passed my way was appreciated also. No one made dessert like my mother. Caramel-walnut topped cranberry bars and pumpkin streusel bars were my favorite. We ate in silence for a little while until I finally pushed the plate away, knowing I was just stalling now.

I cradled the still-steaming mug of cider in my hands and took a deep breath. "His name is Edward."

**~BtBR~**

My mother and I talked for hours that night as I told her everything about Edward and my relationship with him.

Well, not quite everything. I didn't really need her to know just how reckless we'd been the first time we'd slept together. I could skip the lecture about unprotected sex … and at work no less. After all, I was trying to convince her I was actually mature enough to be in a relationship with a man sixteen years my senior. But I told her in more general terms about the way we'd been interested in each other for years and the start of our relationship. I even Googled his name and found a picture from a newspaper article about the hospital to show her.

Her eyes twinkled as she looked at the picture of Edward. "Well, I have to admit, I can't say I blame you for being interested, Bella. He's … quite the man."

"So, you're okay with it?" I asked hopefully.

"I'm happy for you, Bella," she replied cautiously. "But of course I'm worried. I'm a bit disappointed in you for being so reckless. I understand attraction, believe me, but you should have waited until you were done with school and employed in another department. Another few months wouldn't have killed you."

"I know," I admitted. "But do you think you would have been able to, if it had been Dad?" My parents had met when she was a dispatcher for the police department and he was a rookie cop. According to their stories, it had been love at first sight.

Her eyebrows rose almost to her hairline. "Are you saying it's that serious?"

"I'm saying that it's a lot more than just lust, Mom. I love him. So, yes, it's that serious. It's too soon to say if we'll be able to make it through all of the obstacles ahead of us, but we're both willing to try. We want it to work and we're both working very hard to make it happen."

She nodded slowly. "But did you know that initially?"

"I … I don't know."

"Be honest, how well did you know him before you pursued him?"

"Not well," I admitted.

"That's what concerns me. I'm happy that things are going so well, don't get me wrong. But your jobs are at stake and he has a child to consider. I'm not saying that you shouldn't be together, but I want you to be cautious."

"I know. We are being cautious."

She frowned at me. "More than anything else, I hate that you have been lying to me. I specifically asked if you were dating someone and you lied and told me no."

"I know. I'm sorry."

I started to cry and she sighed and patted me on the shoulder. "I know you are, Bella. You've always been an honest person and I do truly believe that your intentions were good. I just worry about the health of any relationship that forces you to be dishonest."

"It's definitely the hardest part of this for me," I admitted, wiping away the tears. "I am counting down the minutes until the semester is over. Look, Edward and I have a plan. I just have a few more weeks until school is over. There are a couple of positions opening up in the Marketing Department and I feel like I have a really good shot at them. I've already spoken to the head of Marketing, and he'll be contacting me for an interview soon."

She smiled approvingly at that. "Your father and I _are_ incredibly proud of how hard you've worked. Working full-time to put yourself through school and pay your living expenses has been a real growing experience for you, I think. As much as we hated that we couldn't pay for your schooling, I do think that you've become a very mature, responsible adult because of it."

My grandmother had been diagnosed with Alzheimer's when I was in elementary school, and her nursing home care had cost a small fortune. The money my parents had set aside for my college had rapidly dwindled because of it. Knowing I'd be forced to either take out outrageous student loans or work, I'd chosen to work. It was the whole reason I'd gotten the job at Providence in the first place. The hospital paid far better than most student jobs and I was willing to work as many hours as I could fit in, even if it meant taking fewer classes a semester. Thanks to that decision, it had brought me to Edward.

"Thanks, Mom."

"You always _were_ an old soul. I don't know if it was because you were an only child or what, but you were always very mature. You seemed so much older than most kids in your class. Now that I think about it, maybe it doesn't surprise me so much that you're dating someone older than you."

"You'll like him," I said softly. "I really think you will."

"I'm sure I will," she agreed. "Now your father is going to be a tougher sell. How do you plan to tell him?"

I groaned and leaned my head back against the couch cushions. "I have no idea."

She squeezed my knee. "Okay, let's brainstorm a game plan then. I'm thinking you should wait until tomorrow night. We'll stuff him full of Thanksgiving food, give him beer, and then let him get sleepy. Hopefully, it will mellow him out."

I laughingly agreed, and after a little more discussion about how to break the news to my father, we moved on to other topics.

I'd crossed the first hurdle, but she was right, my father was going to be a much harder sell.

**~BtBR~**

When he got home that night, my mother and I were making dinner. "There are my two favorite girls," he greeted us.

I grinned and set down the bag of lettuce I'd been holding. "You're home!"

"Yep. I left a little early." He gave me a long hug and then kissed my mother hello. Watching their easy affection, I had to wonder if Edward and I would be that happy and comfortable together after almost thirty years.

Afraid that just thinking about Edward would send my father's cop radar into overdrive, I did my best to push him out of my mind. I spent the evening laughing and catching up with my parents. After dinner, we watched a movie; some cheesy holiday special that my dad and I made fun of and my mom cried over.

We all went to bed early and I called Edward as soon as I was up in my childhood bedroom. We discussed the conversation with my mother, and he sounded pleased that she was supportive overall. He wished me luck in telling my father, and told me he hoped my holiday was good. He was planning to tell his own family about me the following day. We had planned to wait, but with Maggie knowing, neither of us thought it was fair to expect her to keep our secret from them. With things in motion for me to find a new job, the risk was slight. We ended the conversation with 'I love you's' and I was asleep almost as soon as my head hit the pillow.

The following morning was a whirlwind of cooking. My father parked himself on the couch to watch football while my mother and I worked in the kitchen. I wondered what he would think of the fact that Edward cooked and cleaned. My father was a bit traditional, although he certainly did his share of the outdoor work and home maintenance. I knew appreciated everything my mother did in the house and it seemed to work for them. As long as they were happy, it was fine by me. It did highlight how drastically different Edward and my father were, though.

Thanksgiving dinner was as enjoyable as always, with good food and a lot of laughter. Our family might be small, but we got along well. Or at least we usually did. I ate less than usual as I grew anxious about telling my father about Edward.

Once dinner was over, my mother and I did the dishes and cleaned up. She hugged me before we left the kitchen, and carried a beer in to my father where he was relaxing in the living room.

Unwilling to wait another moment, I sat down in the chair across the room from him and spoke. "Dad, there's something I'd like to talk to you about."

He raised an eyebrow at me suspiciously, and I took a deep, calming breath before I began. His face grew redder and redder as I repeated the majority of what I'd told my mother the day before.

"You what?" He roared when I finished, standing up and throwing his hands in the air. "Bella, how in the hell can you even think that's appropriate?"

I closed my eyes and took a deep breath. Telling my father about Edward was _not_ going well. "Dad, please. Calm down and let me finish."

"How in the hell I am supposed to be calm when my twenty-three-year-old daughter tells me she's dating someone my age?" He spat out. "Some _old_ man with a child of his own. Not to mention the damn fact that he's her boss. This is _unacceptable_."

"First of all, Edward is thirty-nine; he isn't your age. You're _forty_-nine, if I may remind you."

"He's still too goddamn old to be dating you. What in the hell were you thinking, Bella? Did he force you? Because if he forced you, so help me God, I don't care _who_ he is. I will kill him and dump all the parts of his miserable body in the Pacific to feed to the sharks."

I gritted my teeth, trying to let him vent before I broke in again.

He rounded on my mother and threw up his hands. "I can't believe this. What is she thinking, Renee? This is crazy. She can't do this. I won't allow it."

"Charles, listen to me," my mother said sternly, placing her hand on his forearm. Although he was still glowering, he mashed his lips tightly together and listened. "Your daughter is an adult. She lives on her own, pays her own bills and has done so since she was eighteen. You don't have any say in the decisions she makes anymore."

He opened his mouth and she glared at him until he subsided. "Believe me, I have concerns about this as well, but you need to sit down, listen to what she has to say, and then have a rational discussion about it. We can offer our opinion, but we can't tell her what to do. You ranting and raving isn't going to solve a damn thing."

Clearly still irritated, he stalked over to his recliner and sat down, resting his elbows on the arms and scowling at me. "Fine. Talk, Bella."

I sat on the couch across from him and took a deep breath, trying not to let his anger make me crazy and irrational. Truthfully, his reaction didn't really surprise me. I was just glad he ran three miles every morning, lifted weights and ate healthy. Otherwise, my father was going to give himself a stroke over this. I was so grateful to my mother for helping calm him. I took a moment to gather my thoughts before I spoke.

"Dad, I _know_ this isn't easy for you. I know you and Mom have concerns. But please, I need you to listen to me."

He nodded grudgingly.

"Edward never forced me to do _anything_. He didn't lay a finger on me until I made the first move. I know my decision to pursue something was a little reckless"— he huffed in agreement—"but I love Edward. He's a good man, and he's made me very happy. He would never treat me with anything less than respect."

"He's still your goddamn boss, Bella. That's not okay."

"He's the vice president for my department. There is very little that he does that impacts my job on a daily basis. I have a manager and a director who I actually interact with more closely."

"If something goes wrong, or you two end this, he could have you fired," he yelled. "Hell, if he wants you to do something you don't like, he could threaten your job."

"He wouldn't do that," I said firmly. "I trust him. He's too good of a person and too ethical to ever consider it."

"Really? He's so ethical he's sleeping with an employee young enough to be his daughter? He's a goddamn pillar of the fucking community!"

"Dad, please," I pleaded with him. "I know you're worried, but don't you trust my judgment?"

"I thought I did, but this is utterly ridiculous. Bella, what in the hell were you thinking?"

"I was thinking that I met someone I care about who cares about me. I know how much we have to face. I deal with it every day, but it's worth it. _He's_ worth it."

"And what happens when you get caught? When this all goes to hell and you get fired and he's sitting pretty in his fancy office. Because it will. Oh, believe me, Bella. You are in for a world of hurt."

"His job is more at risk than mine! He didn't pursue me because it could be construed as sexual harassment. He could lose his job and face criminal charges."

The moment the words left my mouth, I knew they were a mistake. My father's expression was almost gleeful. "Now there's the first solid good news I've heard tonight."

My cry of outrage overlapped my mother's. She won. She abruptly turned around to face my father. She was so angry her voice was shaking. "Don't you even think about it. There is no way in hell you're even going to consider breathing a word of this to anyone. That is the last thing that Bella needs. Now swear to me, right now, that you won't do anything, Charlie."

He grudgingly nodded his agreement and she continued angrily. "How many times did we ever have to discipline Bella growing up? She has always had excellent judgment and good taste in guys. You seem to have forgotten that. You also seem to have forgotten that she isn't a child anymore. This is her choice. If she chooses him, then we have to learn to accept that. We don't have to like it, but we have to live with it and support her."

I could see my father's face harden and he stood up, brushing by my mother. He stopped in front of me, looking angrier than I'd ever seen him. "This man is using you. He's going to have his fun, dump you, and leave you crying. I just hope you aren't dumb enough to let him knock you up."

Hurt by his words, I burst into tears and he stalked out of the living room and up the stairs, slamming the bedroom door behind him. My father was apparently no more mature than Maggie.

With an aggravated sigh, my mom sat on the couch beside me, rubbing my back softly. "I want to apologize for your father. I knew he'd take it badly, but this … this is worse than I anticipated. I'm sorry, Bella. He should never have said that. Once I get him straightened out, I promise, he'll be apologizing to you. Either that or he's never sleeping in the same bed I'm in ever again."

I sniffled and chuckled. "I'm not sure I want to be thinking too closely about you and Dad sleeping together anyway."

She laughed and hugged me closer to her. "I think the reverse is true as well. He doesn't want to think about you sleeping with anyone. Your father is realizing that you're an adult woman with a life of her own. He doesn't want to let go of his little girl. Our concerns are valid, but his reaction was completely uncalled for. I can only blame it on his inability to let you go. It isn't right, and I'm furious with him, but he'll come around … eventually."

I was less convinced. I mean, my mother was probably right about _why_ my father was freaking out, but I wasn't so sure that it was something that would easily be fixed. The things he'd said had hurt me deeply.

She rubbed my back for a long time while I cried. I was angry and hurt and missing Edward. But eventually my sobs quieted, and I blew my nose on the tissues my mother produced out of nowhere.

"You go on upstairs and wash your face, honey. Maybe call Edward and then take a nap for a while. I'll deal with that stubborn man I'm married to. You and I will have dinner together when he heads to the station."

Exhausted and all cried out, I did exactly what she suggested. Face washed and stripped out of my jeans, I slid into bed wearing Edward's shirt and dialed his number. He answered on the first ring. "How did it go?"

"Horribly," I said hoarsely. "He was awful. Worse than I expected."

I could hear Edward's concern in his voice. "Oh, Bella, I'm sorry. Is there anything I can do? I'd be happy to come down there and meet him, if that would help."

"Uh, no, I think that would make things much, much worse. I really don't want you to wind up dead and my father in prison for murdering you. He threatened to chop you up and feed you to the sharks."

Edward's chuckle was half amused, half horrified. "You weren't kidding when you said it went badly."

"That's not even the half of it. He berated me for my choices and told me you were just using me and would dump me and leave me miserable.

His voice grew angry. "He can malign me all he wants, but that's out of line, Bella."

"I'm just furious that he wouldn't even listen to me." I sighed. "He also got in a nice little parting shot about you knocking me up."

His voice softened. "You do know that I would support you, if that happened, right?"

"I know. That's the last thing I worry about with you, Edward."

"Good."

We spent the next twenty minutes or so talking and by the end I felt a little better. He had been as soothing and supportive as I could ever hope for, but it didn't lessen the ache in my stomach at the fight with my father.

When we hung up, I put my phone on the nightstand and curled up under the covers. I eventually drifted off to sleep, but the sick feeling in my stomach was still there.

* * *

**Notes:** Ooof, so yeah … Charlie was pretty awful, wasn't he? If you've read my other stories, you know I generally prefer to write a Charlie who isn't over-protective, but this one put his foot down (and threw a bit of a temper-tantrum!). He is not happy about Bella's relationship with Edward. I think Renee's approach was a bit more reasonable, don't you?

The good news is that E&B did get a bit of a chance for some alone time, and that's a good thing!

Because I know this question will come up, no, I wasn't hinting at Bella and Edward having to deal with an unplanned pregnancy. These two have enough on their plate, don't you think?

I recently started a Facebook group called Discordia's Library. If you'd like to join, add me as a friend on FB, and let me know you'd like to be added to the group.

Please stop by to chat or look for teasers in the following places:

Facebook: www*facebook*com/DiscordiaWriter

Facebook Group: Discordia's Library

Twitter: DiscordiaWrites

Tumblr: discordiawriter*tumblr*com/


	21. Chapter 20 - Pioneer Place Mall

**Notes:** Huge thanks to my pre-readers: Grnidgirl and Jules Twifanawesomesox; my beta: Alice's White Rabbit; and my Validation beta: Totoro

* * *

**Chapter 20: Pioneer Place Mall**

The next morning, I felt no better. My mother begged me stay until Saturday night like I originally planned but I declined. "I need some time away from Dad. If he comes around, have him call me. I'll be happy to come back; I just don't think I can deal with him now."

"I'm sorry, honey," she said, giving me a long hug.

"I know, Mom."

I left shortly after that, promising to call her when I got back to Portland. "I'm going to stop by Rose and Emmett's before I head home though, okay?"

"Okay."

I had texted Rose that morning, and she was eager to see me. Thankfully, Emmett had the morning off. I curled up on their couch with a mug of tea and we talked. I felt vaguely guilty as I unloaded my problems on them yet again, but they reassured me they were happy to help.

When I finished, they both looked at me thoughtfully.

"Is Edward worth it, Bella?" Rose asked. Her question wasn't intended to be cruel and I knew not to take it personally.

"Yes," I said simply. "I love him, Rose. He's worth it all."

"Then give your dad some time. I think your mom is right that he'll come around."

"I hope so." I looked up at Emmett. "I'm sorry I've put you in an awkward position with my dad."

He shrugged. "The Chief and I will be fine. I'm definitely pissed at him for the way he treated you, but I can leave that at home. I just have to remember that I can't punch my boss; I have a baby on the way, you know."

I smiled at the thought. My father was tough for a man nearing fifty, but Emmett was half his age and had at least fifty pounds of muscle on him. It was no real contest.

"Please do not punch my father. He's pissing me off, but I just have to trust that he will eventually give the idea of my relationship with Edward a chance."

We spent another few hours hanging out before I headed to Portland. I tried not to let the frustration get in the way of spending time with the people I cared about. We talked babies and planned Rose's shower, and they told me about the work they were doing on their house. It was a small but pretty fixer-upper that they'd been working on for the last few years. Rose was a teacher and Emmett a cop, so they didn't have a ton of money, but they did well with what they had. They had a nice little life together and, right now, I was really envying the calm simplicity of it. I only hoped that as Edward and I resolved the issues we were facing, we'd be able to find something equally wonderful together.

I was in a much better mood when I left their house, but it dimmed as I drove home. An hour alone with my thoughts meant that I returned to dwelling on the fight with my father. Of course I was angry with him, but more than that, I was hurt by his nasty words and accusations.

Once I got back to my apartment, I spent most of the day moping and half-heartedly trying to study for the one class in which I had a final. The group project was nearly done, and other than a final meeting to make sure everything was ready to be turned in, that class was nearly set for the semester. If there was one good thing about no longer being able to spend weekends with Edward, it was that I had much more time for school.

When he called that night, Edward invited me to come over for brunch before I took Maggie to the mall. We spent another evening talking each other through some rather intense climaxes, and I had to admit, the release of tension was something I desperately needed. I slept deeply that night and in the morning, I at least felt well-rested and ready to spend the day with Maggie.

This time I did much better picking out an outfit without agonizing over it. I dressed in jeans, a cream-colored sweater, and some brown, knee-high boots. With the right makeup and hairstyle, I managed to once again be sure I looked older than Maggie, but still stylish.

When I pulled up to Edward's house, the garage door was up, and although I parked in the driveway, I entered through the garage, knocking on the door before peering inside.

"Edward?" I called out.

"Come in," he replied.

I opened the door the rest of the way, hung my coat up in the entryway and went into the kitchen. Edward was alone, and he quickly washed and dried his hands and kissed me. He gave me a concerned frown when he pulled away. "How are you doing?"

I shrugged and pressed closer to him. He leaned back against the counter, his hands cupping my hips as he drew me to lean against him. "I'm okay. Still frustrated."

"I'm so sorry, Bella," he said. "I hate the idea of you having problems with your family because of me."

I nodded and looped my arms around his neck. He was wearing a pale blue button down and a darker blue cashmere sweater with khakis. He was as handsome as ever. I sank into his warm embrace like it had been months since I'd seen him, not weeks. "I know. It'll blow over eventually."

He frowned. "Now I really wish I could take you away for the weekend."

"I'm not sure I'd have time before exams anyway," I pointed out. "I mean, I'm caught up, but still …"

"I know. It doesn't mean that I'm not eager to spend some alone time with you," he pointed out.

I cupped his cheek in my hand and leaned in for another kiss. "Believe me, I am, too."

We both heard footsteps on the stairs and I pulled away from Edward before Maggie appeared in the doorway.

"Hi, Maggie." I smiled at her.

"Hey, Bella." She was dressed in pajama pants, a T-shirt and hoodie, but she was smiling and looked far more relaxed than the last time I'd seen her. "What's for breakfast? I'm _starving_."

Edward chuckled. "Waffles, bacon, fresh fruit, and orange juice."

"I can set the table," I offered.

"Sounds good. We can just eat here in the kitchen." Edward smiled at me. "If Maggie helps me with the waffles, we should be ready to eat in no time."

She nodded and I heard the sizzle of batter on a waffle iron as I pulled out plates and silverware. Edward was right, it didn't take long at all, and this time when the three of us sat down to a meal, it was much less awkward than the last time. I smiled into my coffee cup at Edward and Maggie's banter over who got the maple syrup first.

Maggie wasn't exceptionally talkative, but she wasn't stand-offish or rude either. Frankly, she still looked half-asleep, and if there was one thing I remembered from being a teenager it was that I never got enough sleep.

"Did you have a good Thanksgiving?" I asked her.

"Yeah, it was okay. There's never really anyone my age there, so that sucks, but I helped Grandma and Aunt Esme cook and read while everyone watched football."

"You like football?" I asked Edward in surprise. He'd never really mentioned it.

"It's all right. My brother and father are into it, so I follow along enough to keep up with their conversations. Truthfully, I'd rather watch soccer, but Maggie and I are the only ones who enjoy it."

"Your dad said that you play, Maggie," I said to her.

She nodded and spoke with her mouth full. "Yeah, it's fun."

"Maggie!" Edward chastised her, and she flushed and finished chewing and swallowing.

"Sorry," she said sheepishly.

"You guys are going to have to teach me about the game," I said. "I don't really know anything about it."

She looked up at me in surprise. "Really? It's not hard."

"I just never watched it," I explained. "But I'd like to learn the basics at least."

"By the time Maggie and I are done teaching you, you'll know it inside and out," he said confidently.

The rest of breakfast consisted of the two of them peppering me with soccer info until my head was swirling with it. Maggie was every bit as animated as Edward was, and once again I was taken with how many of his mannerisms and personality traits she had. It was interesting to see.

We all cleared the table, but Edward declined when I offered to help him wash the dishes. "No, you two should head out."

"Okay," Maggie said. "I want to run upstairs and finish getting ready."

"That's fine," I agreed. "Whenever you want to head out."

Once she went upstairs, Edward and I spent the time kissing and talking quietly. It felt a little bit like the times at work when we'd stolen a few minutes away from prying eyes. His touch made me weak in the knees, and after the long, stressful weekend, I needed the distraction.

"How are you feeling about today?" he asked quietly.

"I'm nervous," I admitted. "I really hope it goes well."

"I think it will. She's trying."

"I know, I can tell."

"Just get to know her, Bella. That's all you have to do."

It was stupid, but there was one thought that had been going through my mind since we first planned this. "What if she wants to buy something totally inappropriate? I don't know how to handle that. I know it's not really my place to say anything, but …"

Edward chuckled. "If she does, _I'll_ deal with it when she gets home. If for some reason she's nasty to you, or does something to deliberately get a rise out of you, firmly tell her that's unacceptable and head back here. I don't think she will; frankly, I think she's been looking forward to today. She's going through a lot, so I can't predict everything. But the Maggie you've seen these last few times is the girl I know. The nasty snottiness is her mother's influence. If nothing else, some time away from Heidi has been good in that regard."

"Okay," I said, taking another deep breath. "I can do this."

Edward smiled and leaned in to kiss me again. We were careful not to get too caught up to hear Maggie's feet on the stairs and we pulled away with one last lingering kiss.

My nerves returned as Edward said goodbye to Maggie. To my surprise, he brushed his lips over mine right in front of Maggie, but other than her making a grossed-out face, she didn't seem upset by it. "Have fun," he called out as we walked out the door.

"We will," I said, and I was proud that my voice didn't even quaver. _Holy shit, I am really doing this, _I thought.

Once in my car, Maggie was quiet at first, so to break the ice I suggested she turn on the radio. "If you'd like to listen to music, you can," I offered, as we pulled out onto the street.

"Uhm, sure." She turned on the radio and flipped through the stations before finally settling on something. "You ever listen to this station?" she asked; fidgeting with the sleeve on her coat.

"Honestly, I don't listen to the radio, much. I have a lot of books on tape that I listen to. With work and classes, I don't have a lot of time to read so I catch up that way," I explained.

I glanced over at her briefly, and caught a glimpse of her as she rolled her eyes. "Maybe you are perfect for my dad. He's _so_ boring. That's all he listens to. That and public radio. Ugh, it drives me crazy. I couldn't live without my iPod. I have so much music on there."

I smiled. Maggie had inadvertently called me boring, but I could live with that if she thought I was perfect for her father. I'd take what I could get.

I was quiet for a moment before I spoke; wanting her to know how much it meant to me that she was making an effort to get to know me. "I really appreciate that you're giving me a chance, Maggie. I can't imagine how strange this is for you."

"Yeah." She looked out the window, and was silent for so long I didn't know if she was going to continue. I was startled when she finally spoke. "I mean, I know you're not my age. But it's close enough that it's _weird_, you know?"

"I know. It is for me, too," I admitted.

We were both silent for a while, and I wracked my brain, trying to think of things to discuss. "So, you liked the chocolate lava cakes I made last week?" I finally asked.

"Um, yeah, they were good."

"I could show you how to make them sometime, if you wanted," I offered, glancing over at her.

She nodded, relaxing a little. "That would be kind of cool."

We talked for a little while longer about baking—it seemed like a fairly safe topic—and by the time we finished, we were at the mall.

Getting out of the car and making our way into the mall gave us something to do, and it wasn't until we were inside that it felt awkward again. "So, where do you want to go?" I asked.

She mentioned a few stores and I followed her to the nearest one. To be honest, I had never really enjoyed shopping at the mall, but if it was something Maggie and I could do together, I'd tolerate hours of it.

We went from store to store, and although she tried on armfuls of clothing, she didn't actually buy a whole lot. I hadn't bought anything, and I was looking through the umpteenth clearance rack when Maggie commented on it. "Why haven't you bought anything? And why are you only checking out stuff on sale?"

I chuckled. "Because I'm a student, and most of the money I make at work goes toward my tuition and living expenses. I don't have a lot of extra spending money."

"Oh. Your parents didn't help you out?"

"No. My Grandma Swan had Alzheimer's and all of their extra money had to go toward her care. So I got a job at the hospital."

"And that's how you met my dad?" she asked curiously, looking up from the rack of clothes she was flipping through.

"How much has he told you?" I asked. I really didn't want to give out any information about our relationship that he hadn't told her already.

"Uhm, he said you guys work together, and that technically you aren't supposed to date because he's in charge of your department."

"That is true. Yeah, we've worked in the same department for a few years."

A weird expression crossed her face. "A few years?"

"Yes. Why?"

"Did you … um, did you guys start dating or anything then?" She wouldn't look me in the eye and I felt like a complete idiot when I finally put together what she was hinting at.

"Oh, no! Definitely not, Maggie. We didn't begin seeing each other until this past August," I reassured her.

She nodded. "That's good."

She disappeared into the racks of clothing for a little bit, and I didn't follow. She was dealing with so much right now, and I wanted her to feel like she could take it at her own pace with me. She was polite and getting to know me, and that was plenty.

She eventually reappeared with an armful of clothing to try on, and stared at me for a moment before she spoke. "Will you tell me what you think?"

"Sure." I followed her over to the changing rooms and leaned against the wall while she disappeared into one. She showed me half a dozen pieces of clothing and I gave her my opinion before she started talking again. She was back in the changing room when she spoke.

"I'm sorry I was mean to you before. Like on Halloween and stuff."

I blinked in surprise. An apology was the last thing I expected. "Thank you. I appreciate you telling me that."

She sighed, but it was a little muffled, like she was pulling clothing on or off. "I just … I had this stupid idea that my parents were going to get back together. I know it was dumb, but it sucked once they divorced and I just wanted to be a family again."

"That's understandable. It did hurt my feelings though."

"I just want you to know I'm sorry. I was really mean, and you didn't deserve that."

"Thank you, Maggie. I forgive you. No hard feelings."

She came out of the dressing room, looking slightly embarrassed and I did my best to smile encouragingly at her. "How does this look?" she asked, showing me a green, sleeveless dress.

"It's cute," I said honestly. "But not very practical for this time of year."

"Hmm, that's true." She giggled. "I'd probably freeze, wouldn't I?"

I laughed and looked more closely at it. "Unless you wear it with a sweater and tights. It might look cute that way."

"That's a good idea! I totally didn't think of that. What color?"

"Hmm, probably brown or off-white would work, but I think I like the idea of the off-white best."

"I have this cream colored cardigan at home that would be _perfect_," she said, grinning at me.

"Great. What about tights?"

"Nope."

"Well, if you decide to get the dress, you'll have to get some then."

"Okay." She ran back in the dressing room and tried on a number of other things. I gave her my opinion on them, and while she was debating which to get, I got a text from Edward.

_**How is it going?**_

I quickly replied. _**Really well, actually. We're having fun.**_

She came out of the dressing room and gave me a quizzical look. "Are you texting my dad?"

"Yeah, he wanted to see how it was going. I told him we were having fun."

"Good." She lifted the dress, a pair of jeans, and a tank top that she'd decided to buy. "I'm gonna go pay, okay?"

"Sure. I'll be right here." My phone buzzed with another message and I looked down at it with a smile. _**Happy to hear that. I love you.**_

_**I love you, too.**_

I was still smiling at my phone when she came back. "You know, he gets that same weird smile on his face when he texts you," Maggie commented.

I grinned, shrugging, and slipped my phone back into my purse. "Is that a good thing?"

"Yeah, I guess it is," she said thoughtfully.

We took a break from shopping to have lunch. We had been here for several hours and Maggie was starving. I wasn't quite as hungry, so I got a salad, but she loaded her tray with food. We both dug in, and were quiet as we ate. My fork paused halfway to my mouth when she spoke.

"You know, you're nothing like the chick that Jess's dad hooked up with." She looked down at her food.

"Is that good or bad?" I asked tentatively.

Her startled eyes met mine. "Um, good. Definitely. She was this like, really fake cheerleader type with huge tits. Really ditzy."

I smiled to myself. _Okay, at least Maggie doesn't think of me that way, _I thought.

She continued. "I dunno. She was totally nasty to Jess, and she made Mr. Stanley buy her all this crap. I heard her tell him that she wasn't going to go out with him anymore if he didn't."

I made a face. "Yeah, that's horrible."

"And I don't think you'd do that, right?"

"No, definitely not," I assured her. Clearly Maggie was sizing me up now, trying to make sure I was good enough for her father. "I've never asked him to buy me anything. He bought me flowers once as a surprise, and a pair of earrings for my birthday. I didn't expect them at all." I smiled at the memory. "One weekend, he surprised me with dinner. A really nice dinner from his favorite restaurant, and we ate it out on the terrace."

"Oh, that's kind of cute," she said sounding surprised.

I chuckled. "Did you expect him to be totally lame?"

"Um, kind of," she admitted, and I laughed out loud. "I dunno, he's my _dad_. It's weird to think about him doing stuff like that."

"I'm sure."

We ate in silence for a while before she spoke again.

"I'm just kind of surprised he's dating you," she commented.

"Because of my age?"

"Yeah, and 'cause he's 'not supposed to'." She made air quotes and rolled her eyes. "He's just always been so big about rules, you know."

"It would have been smarter for us to wait until I had a different job," I admitted.

"I just figure he must really like you if he was willing to break that rule."

"We care about each other a lot." I took a bite of my salad and chewed, wondering what she'd say in response. But she changed the subject.

"So, um …" she fidgeted with her straw nervously. "Uhh, I'm really sorry I ratted you guys out to my mom and made all that stuff up. I didn't realize that it could get you in trouble at work." She sighed. "I just thought you were going to be like the girl who was dating Jess's dad, and I thought if I was really mean you'd go away."

"You did that with the other women your dad dated, too, didn't you?"

She looked up guiltily and nodded. "Yeah. It worked though."

A part of me wanted to laugh, but that wouldn't exactly set a good example, so I stifled it. "Well, it wouldn't have worked on _me_. I care about your dad too much to give up easily."

"He does seem a lot happier now that you're around. And that's good."

I nearly cheered aloud, because truthfully, that was one of the biggest compliments I could get from her. But I didn't want to make too big of a deal out of it. "I try really hard to make him happy," I said instead, and she nodded.

We finished our lunches in companionable silence and once our trash was thrown away, I turned to her. "What next?"

"Um, I want tights to go with that dress like you suggested."

"Okay," I agreed.

"And, um, I kind of want a pair of boots like the ones you have," she said. "Where did you get them? They're awesome."

"Thanks!" I replied, pleased that she liked them. "They were my big splurge last year at the end of the semester. My reward for doing well. I got them online."

"Oh, bummer." She frowned.

"We might be able to find a pair here that's similar though," I offered.

We spent the rest of the afternoon shopping for tights and boots. She got two pair of cream colored tights, one plain, the other made from a thicker, ribbed fabric. But we didn't have any luck with the boots.

"Sorry, Maggie," I said as we finally gave up and walked back to the car.

"It's okay." She shrugged. "I'm bummed, but it's not that big of a deal."

"Maybe next time," I said. "If you want to do this again, that is."

"Sure. It was pretty fun."

I was smiling to myself when I got in the car, happy with the way the day had gone. Maggie turned on the radio and hummed along to the music as we headed back to Edward's. I was completely taken aback when she spoke.

"Do you think I should talk to my mom?"

I gulped, and took my eyes off the road to look at her for a moment. She was staring out the window, but from what I could see, she looked sad. I turned the music down a little, hastily trying to come up with a good answer for her question.

"I don't know," I finally said. "Do you want to?"

"Maybe. I dunno. I'm really pissed."

"I don't think anyone would blame you for that."

She turned and looked at me. "Would you talk to her, if you were me?"

Holy shit, that was a loaded question and I had no idea how to answer it. I thought for a long moment before I spoke. "Honestly, I'm not sure," I admitted. "I've never had to deal with anything like that. My best friend was in a similar situation to the one you're in, and it took her a long time, but I think she was glad she talked to her dad eventually."

"Oh."

I swallowed hard, trying to be very careful about what I said. "I actually got in a really big argument with _my_ father over Thanksgiving."

"Why?"

"He's worried about me. He thinks maybe I'm making mistakes with some of my choices in life right now. But he was pretty awful about it, and we argued."

"What kind of choices?"

"Honestly, the fact that I'm dating someone who is my boss."

"But my dad's a great guy," Maggie protested.

"I know that. But my dad is a police officer, and he still thinks of me as his little girl; he's a little overprotective. It's freaking him out that I'm dating someone closer to his age."

"It is weird," Maggie pointed out, and I laughed.

"Maybe. But either way, we argued and he said some really hurtful things. I came home Saturday because I needed some space."

"Are you going to talk to him again?"

"Of course," I said. "We just need some time to cool off. If I don't hear from him soon, I'll call him. One of the scary things about having a father who is a police officer is that you never know if something could happen to him. I was always taught not to leave the house angry. I did this time, but I know I'd regret it if something happened and I didn't talk to him."

"I don't have to talk to her before I'm ready, right?" she asked, her voice sounding very vulnerable and very young all of a sudden.

"That's up to you and your dad. I'm sure he won't push you any faster than you're ready for."

She was quiet and contemplative for the rest of the ride, but she spoke up when we pulled into the driveway. "Maybe next time we can go shopping where you usually go."

I put the car in park and turned to look at her. "I mostly shop thrift stores and vintage clothing boutiques."

"That's cool. Um, I like what you wear, actually."

"Thanks. Yeah, we can definitely do that, then."

I helped her get the couple of bags she had from the back seat and we headed into the house. Maggie called out to Edward once we were inside. "We're back," she yelled loudly.

I followed her through the kitchen and into the central part of the house. Edward peered out of the door to the library and he grinned widely at both of us.

"How did it go?"

"It was fun!" Maggie gave him a huge grin in return and let him pull her in for a hug. "I got some cute stuff. I'm gonna go try it on now and call Jess."

He kissed the top of her head and she wiggled loose and ran up the stairs, bags in tow. "And what do you think?" he asked me when she was gone.

"It was fun. I'm kind of exhausted and exhilarated all at once."

He tugged me into the library, once again shutting the door most of the way behind us. It felt incredible to curl up on his lap in his desk chair, and although I had a lot I wanted to discuss with him, we spent a long time kissing. Eventually, when we were both right on the edge of losing control, he pulled back.

"I guess we should stop." He gave a low little groan in my ear and I shivered at the sound.

"I guess so." I pulled back a little to look at him.

"So, it went well?"

"It did. Honestly, I was kind of shocked," I admitted.

"No awkwardness?"

"I don't know about that. But awkward is fine. She was sweet, actually. She apologized, twice."

Edward's eyebrows raised in surprise. "I'm glad to hear it."

"You didn't ask her to?"

"No. I considered it, but a forced apology isn't very sincere. I was hopeful that she would do it on her own."

"Well, she did, and she seemed very sincere. I think she's embarrassed by the way she acted. She admitted she was trying to get rid of me like she did with the other women you dated."

He sighed. "I should have been stricter with her then. I was just completely floundering at the time. It would have made things easier on you though."

"Let's not worry about the past. We're doing well now. I want to just keep moving forward."

"Okay." He nodded. "So, tell me about the rest of the day."

I went over the conversations with Maggie, and Edward listened attentively. When I finally finished, he hummed thoughtfully for a minute and nodded. "It sounds like she's making a sincere effort."

"She was. I wasn't quite sure if I handled the comment about Heidi well or not though."

"You handled it perfectly. I know you're concerned about saying the wrong thing, but I think you're worrying too much."

"That's what Rose said when I talked to her last week."

"Then trust that the people who know you know what they're talking about."

I left Edward's house shortly after that. We were getting closer, but we both agreed it was still a bit too soon for me to spend the night. _One step at a time, _I reminded myself. If I wanted something long-term with Edward, a few more weeks was nothing.

* * *

**Notes: **Well, I don't know about you, but I think that was some major progress for Bella and Maggie. How do you think Bella did answering Maggie's questions? Aren't you proud of Maggie for making the effort and for apologizing to Bella? I think Edward is feeling pretty happy to hear that things went so well.

I recently started a Facebook group called Discordia's Library. If you'd like to join, add me as a friend on FB, and let me know you'd like to be added to the group.

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	22. Chapter 21 - The Conference Room

**Notes:** Huge thanks to my pre-readers: Grnidgirl, ShellShock, and Jules Twifanawesomesox; my beta: Alice's White Rabbit; and my Validation beta: Totoro

* * *

**Chapter 21: The Conference Room**

The successful shopping trip with Maggie put me in a fantastic mood. To top off the great mood, on the following Tuesday, I got a call about an interview for the marketing position.

"Ms. Swan?" A pleasant female voice asked when I answered. "This is Diane Pritchard. I've spoken with Mr. Whitlock about your interest in a position with us. We both agree that you're a very strong candidate for the communications specialist position. I won't officially take over as the media relations and communications manager until January, but I _will_ be the one overseeing the hiring process to fill my former position. Are you still interested in coming in for an interview?"

"Absolutely. Thank you so much for calling," I said, trying to keep my composure, but I was nearly shaking from excitement. My heart raced in my chest, and I had to struggle to keep the quaver out of my voice. "I have been hoping for an opportunity like this for some time now. When did you have in mind?"

"Are you available next week?" she asked.

My heart sank. "That's exam week. I'd love to; I'm just concerned that I won't have time in addition to the hours I'm scheduled to work. What day did you have in mind? Maybe there's a way I can make it work."

"That's understandable. Believe me, I remember what it was like to be a student," she reassured me. "It's no problem. What about this Friday?" she offered.

"Any time on Friday would work well for me, actually," I said. "I have a dentist appointment that day, so I took some time off work. I could reschedule it. It's just a routine appointment."

"Is nine A.M. okay?"

"Nine sounds wonderful, thank you."

"Excellent. Well, I look forward to seeing you Friday at nine A.M. then," she said warmly. "Just stop at Donna's desk inside our office when you get here. She'll let me know when you arrive."

"Thank you so much for this opportunity," I said sincerely. "I look forward to meeting with you."

We said our goodbyes and I was incredibly grateful when I got off the phone that we weren't extremely busy. The moment I saw Tanya was free, I hurried over to her desk. "Holy shit, I have an interview for Friday. I can't even believe it!" I said.

She stood up and hugged me. "I am so happy for you! That's amazing."

Liz rolled her eyes at us. "Too good for us now, huh, Bella?"

"What?" I turned to look at her in bewilderment.

"You're too good to work in this department anymore."

"Liz, I'm just having an interview for a job in the field I'm studying. This has _always_ been my plan."

"I just think it's shitty," she said. "Shelly Cope is retiring and now we're going to be short-staffed because you decided you just _had_ to get a better job."

I shook my head, pitying her all of a sudden. She was a bitter, spiteful woman. I could only imagine how she'd react once Edward and I went public. "I don't want to leave you guys in the lurch, but it'll be weeks before I could even start the position. And there's no guarantee I'll even get it."

"Oh, come on," she sneered. "We all saw you flirting with Mr. Whitlock. Now that Mr. Cullen isn't quite so enamored with you, you're moving on."

"Excuse me?" I said quietly, looking around the room to make sure no patients were close enough to overhear.

"We all saw it. You two used to be all flirty with each other, and then he started ignoring you. We've all seen him with Victoria McKenna from Risk Management. They've been spending an awful lot of time together in meetings lately."

I closed my eyes for a moment, trying to keep my frustration from making me say something I'd regret. Her comments about Edward and Victoria didn't concern me, there had been a lawsuit brought against the hospital due to a slip and fall accident six months prior—their meetings were about _that_. Edward had told me all about it and assured me that he had made it clear to Victoria that he was a taken man. She had been interested, but had quickly backed off when he informed her he was seeing someone. I wasn't worried in the least; Edward and I were far too solid to let petty jealousy get in our way. Liz had come to all the wrong conclusions, but the fact that she had picked up on his change in attitude toward me was still worrisome.

"I am not flirting with anyone," I said coldly, "least of all Mr. Whitlock. I've worked my butt off for this hospital and to get my degree. I would never resort to anything like that to get a job."

I left before she could reply; incredibly glad it was time for me to go to lunch anyway. Tanya was busy, so rather than eat in the break room, I went out to my car to call Edward. He let me vent my frustration over Liz and help soothe me so that I could calm down enough to celebrate the fact that I had an interview for the position I'd been wanting for years.

Before the call ended, Edward invited me to dinner at his place on Friday evening since Maggie was planning to go to the movies with friends. "Just think," he teased. "We'll finally have some alone time at my place again."

"I'm really looking forward to it," I said. I had missed time alone with him so much.

"Though I don't think we're quite at the point where you should spend the night with Maggie there," Edward said reluctantly.

"It's okay," I reassured him. "I understand. Believe me, I miss it, but we've made great progress. The fact that the three of us can enjoy spending time together is wonderful. We'll take it slowly; one step at a time."

"_You're_ wonderful," he said and I chuckled.

"So are you."

**~BtBR~**

The week flew by in a blur of preparing for my interview and exams the following week. Liz didn't say anything else nasty to me, and I did my best to be polite when I was forced to interact with her.

There was a sweet text from Edward on Friday morning wishing me luck. As I headed through the lobby toward the elevators to go upstairs to the Marketing department, I saw him loitering in the lobby. He was subtle about it, but I caught a quick smile and wink as I passed.

I walked confidently into the office dressed in a neatly tailored suit that I'd splurged a little on and the earrings Edward had given me, feeling calm and prepared.

I arrived a little early so I waited for a few minutes before Diane Pritchard arrived. She was an attractive woman—perhaps fifteen to twenty years older than me—with a warm and friendly manner.

She ushered me into a conference room and I was surprised to see Jasper Whitlock in the room. He stood and held out a hand to me. "I hope you don't mind, Ms. Swan, but with the transition in management and the fact that you approached me about the position, I thought I'd sit in on this. Just remember, I'm here as much to oversee Diane's interviewing skills as I am to evaluate you." He gave me a disarming grin and I relaxed.

"Of course. Thank you."

We took our seats and Mr. Whitlock faded into the background as I focused on the challenging questions Diane asked me. I felt a low thrum of nerves throughout my body, but I was able to answer them clearly and precisely. I was confident in my skills, and she seemed impressed by both my school and work histories. As the interview wrapped up, she thanked me for coming in. "I'm very pleased you applied for the position and you are more than qualified. We'll get back to you as soon as we've made our decision," she said and glanced at her watch. "Now, unfortunately, I have a meeting to attend, and I'm going to be cutting it close."

Mr. Whitlock spoke up. "I'll walk Ms. Swan out."

She thanked him and when I went to stand, he spoke to me. "Have a seat, please. I just want to reassure you that I believe I can speak for both myself and for Mrs. Pritchard when I say that we were both very impressed today. I can't promise you anything; we'll have to interview all of the candidates, but I have to say, Ms. Swan, you're a very strong contender. I can't imagine anyone else being a better fit, unless they have more experience, which I think is unlikely since we're trying to fill the position internally first. I look forward to being able to call you and let you know that the position is yours."

"Thank you, sir. I look forward to hearing from you. I appreciate that you gave me the opportunity to meet with you."

Mr. Whitlock stood and I gathered up my portfolio and pen and did the same. We shook hands and exchanged goodbyes, and I heard him mutter something under his breath as he walked me to the door. My stomach lurched sickeningly at his words.

I turned to him. "I'm sorry?"

He shook his head. "Nothing. Just talking to myself. I'll walk you out."

"Sir, I'm sorry, but it sounded like you said 'I can see why he's so smitten with you'. Did I hear that right?" I asked, hoping desperately that I was wrong.

He sighed and ran a hand through his hair. "Goddamn it, I should learn to keep my mouth shut."

"I'll take that as a yes then. Who and what were you referring to, exactly?" I asked, trying to remain calm. If Edward had told Mr. Whitlock about us, I was going to be pissed. But I didn't want to jump to any conclusions and make the situation even worse.

He glanced around and lowered his voice. "Edward. He … he let it slip that you two are in a relationship. I can see why he fell for you; you're bright, articulate, and very confident while still coming across as warm and caring. You're exactly his type. I certainly didn't mean anything inappropriate by it."

I took a deep breath as disappointment that he knew about our relationship coursed through me, but I tried to retain my composure. My voice came out tight and strained. "I really had hoped Edward wouldn't tell you; it was important to me that I earn this job on my own merit. I'll have to look elsewhere, I guess."

Mr. Whitlock stepped forward. "Please, don't. You really are the strongest candidate we have. Along with Diane, someone from H.R. will be evaluating you. If they don't want to hire you, there is nothing I could do about it. I could veto an applicant they were pushing, but even if I wanted to, I can't _force_ them to hire you. And even if I could, I never would."

Mollified, I nodded and he continued. "I'll admit, I'd like to be able to help you and Edward out. You're good for—great for—him actually. He's happier than I've ever seen him before. I only met him after he and Heidi were together, so I have nothing to compare it to, but I do know that since he's been seeing you, he's far more relaxed and happy."

"You don't … disapprove?" I asked nervously.

"Of what? The age difference? It's not ideal, but if you two work, I don't see what difference it makes."

"And the fact that he's my supervisor?"

He sighed and leaned back against the conference room table. "I think it's a very difficult situation, but I don't know that I would have done any better. Not with you specifically, _of course_, but I mean if I had been in Edward's position with someone else. I very much hope you are able to keep it hidden until you are no longer working under him, and I think it's great that you're working so hard to find a position in your field. It's a bad situation for both of you—worse for Edward, really. He loves his work. But if he's willing to risk it for you, it means you're very special to him."

"Thank you," I said. "I appreciate the vote of confidence. It's just a very complicated situation to be in. I was trying very hard to earn this position without any help."

"Please, try not to be too angry with him. I understand your frustration, but he didn't mean to spill the secret. I pulled it out of him with some difficulty. Edward is a very private person. We've known each other for years, and I've noticed how much happier he's been in the last few months. He tried to fob me off, saying it was because Heidi wasn't around and that he was living in his childhood home. Frankly, that's a bunch of bullshit to anyone who knows him. The only explanation I could come up with was a woman. Once I dragged it out of him that he was seeing someone, it was only a matter of time before I figured out that he wasn't telling me because he _couldn't_. I assumed the woman he was with was married, although that wasn't at all in character for him. If I'd had any idea it was you, I wouldn't have pushed him."

"You won't say anything to anyone else?" I asked quietly.

He gave me a horrified look. "Of course not. Even if Edward weren't my friend, I wouldn't say a thing. Unless I thought there was something shady about the relationship or there was actually sexual harassment going on, I figure it's not my business. Besides, if you make Edward happy, I support it. The man was miserable with Heidi; it's good to see him genuinely smile about a woman for a change."

"This won't affect me working for you?" I asked.

"No. The way I look at it, there are two people here: a Ms. Isabella M. Swan, who is a potential candidate for a job, and Bella, the woman Edward is dating. I'm capable of keeping them separate if you are."

I nodded. "Absolutely."

"I apologize if my comment made you uncomfortable. That was the last thing I wanted."

"Thank you. I was just taken aback."

Mr. Whitlock smiled reassuringly at me. "Now, I have just a couple of things to say to Bella."

"Yes?"

"First of all, let me introduce myself, I'm Jasper." His blue eyes twinkled warmly as he held out his hand.

I laughed softly and shook. "Nice to meet you, Jasper."

"You also. And thanks for making Edward happy; he deserves it."

"He really does," I agreed.

**~BtBR~**

Despite the way Jasper had smoothed things over, I was still incredibly frustrated with Edward. Not only for telling Jasper, but for not giving me a heads-up about it. I went home and changed out of my interview outfit and texted Edward, asking him to call me when he was free. I knew he had a meeting so I wasn't surprised when I didn't hear from him for several hours. Unfortunately, it left me with more time to stew. The more I thought about it, the more irritated I became.

"Hi," I said shortly, when I answered his call.

"Hey, what's wrong? Didn't the interview with Jasper go well?"

"It went fine, until I realized he knew about us." My voice came out clipped and terse.

There was silence on the other end before he spoke. "Are you pissed at me?"

"Jesus, Edward, of course I am," I yelled. "I _begged_ you not to tell him until I got this job. You know how uncomfortable I was with him knowing, and you swore you wouldn't say anything. You promised me if you spoke to him about me, it would be like you being a reference for any other employee of yours. It wasn't, Edward."

He sounded stricken. "I'm sorry. I honestly had no idea he'd say something to you."

"That doesn't _matter_. He knew we were together so every impression he has of me is skewed because of it." I pressed a shaking hand to my eyes, trying to stop the flow of tears that was starting.

"He's not the only person who will be making the decision on your hiring, Bella."

"I know. He told me and that makes me feel marginally better. Obviously, there's nothing I can do to change it, so I'll just have to live with it. But I'm really disappointed—this was the one thing I asked for."

"I am sorry," he said more softly. "You're right."

"What pisses me off the most is that you didn't tell me he knew, Edward," I cried.

"I just wanted you to be able to go into the interview without worrying about it. I was going to tell you tonight. I didn't want you to go to the interview feeling awkward and uncomfortable."

"You can't make decisions _for_ me, Edward. You have to include me in them. I understand that you are in charge of things at work, and that's fine. I understand your relationship with Heidi didn't exactly involve a lot of joint decision making, except for things regarding Maggie. And that's fine, too. I understand. But if you want to be in a relationship with me, you're going to have to work _with_ me. I'm your girlfriend; I'd like to think that means you view me as an equal partner in this relationship."

"I do, Bella, and I'm sorry," he answered sincerely. "You're right. No matter how much I meant well, it wasn't really fair of me to make that decision for you."

I was silent for a long moment as I took several deep breaths, struggling to regain my composure. "Thank you," I said, slightly mollified by the apology.

"Are we okay?" he asked.

"Honestly, I need a little time to cool off. I'm still too frustrated and I need some time to get my head back on straight. I'm going to let you go before I end up saying something I regret."

"Okay," he agreed grudgingly. "I miss you."

I softened my tone. "I miss you, too."

We both lingered on the phone for a long moment, before I sighed and hung up. I felt slightly better now that I knew why Edward had kept it from me, but I still didn't like it.

I knew myself well enough to know that I would have wound up snapping at him if we'd kept talking. Still, I missed him. We had little enough time together, and I hated to waste the opportunity. Instead of being with Edward, I wound up curled up on the couch with mint chocolate chip ice cream.

I spent the afternoon moping and watching bad TV but even ice cream and most of a box of tissues later, I didn't really feel any better. When the knock on the door came at a little after nine that night, I assumed it was someone who had the wrong apartment. To my surprise, when I peered out the peephole, it was Edward. I wiped at my eyes and tried to pull myself together. I'd asked for some space, but the sight of him standing in front of me, clutching a bouquet of flowers, made my heart beat a little faster.

Unfortunately, what I said didn't come out right at all when I opened the door. "What are you doing here?"

It sounded harsh, even to me, and I winced. The slight smile on his face disappeared. "I thought I was surprising the woman I love and making a romantic gesture to apologize. Maybe I should just leave."

I could see the hurt and disappointment on his face, and I grabbed his arm to stop him as he turned to go. "No, no, I'm sorry. That came out wrong. I was just surprised to see you."

"Do you _want_ to see me?" he asked.

"Yes. I'm sorry, Edward. I didn't mean it like that. Please, come in." I tugged at him and he followed reluctantly. I took the flowers from him and neither of us spoke as I unwrapped the crinkling cellophane and found a vase to put them in. The bouquet was white tulips mixed with purple hyacinth, and it was stunning.

When the last flower was in water, I gripped the edge of the countertop, needing a moment to pull myself together. "I'm sorry, Bella," Edward said quietly, his fingertips grazing my arm.

I burst into tears again and turned to face him. He pulled me into his arms, and I sobbed on his shoulder. He stroked my hair, murmuring soothingly to me, but the sobs didn't seem to want to subside no matter how hard I tried to calm myself. I cried until my stomach ached, and I was shaking. Eventually, I stopped, but it was more from exhaustion than anything else.

Edward led me over to the couch and put his arm around me, drawing me close. I pressed my hands to my face and took a couple of deep breaths. When I was more composed, he spoke. "Talk to me," he said simply.

I laughed shakily and pulled back to look at him. "I don't even know what to say."

"Then let me say this. I've thought a lot about what you said earlier, and you're right. This was the one thing you asked me for, and you have every reason to be frustrated that I didn't respect that."

I drew in a ragged breath. "Maybe I'm being unreasonable about it, but getting this job without any help was so important to me."

"No, you're not being unreasonable," he protested. "I knew how you felt, and I made the wrong choice."

I tried to explain why it bothered me so much. "Edward, it was the one thing I could do to feel like your equal."

"Bella, you are," Edward said, sounding perplexed. "I don't understand why you don't feel that way."

"But I'm _not_. I'm your employee, I'm younger than you, and I have no experience with teenagers. I feel like I'm scrambling to show you how mature I can be. I just wanted so much to get this job and prove that to you."

Edward looked pained. "Bella, if anything I've done has made you feel like you aren't my equal, I am sorry. I really do view you as one."

I pushed my hair back and reached for the hair tie around my wrist, tying the hair up off my face. "It's stupid. I shouldn't have been so concerned about getting the job without your help."

"No, it's not stupid. It was something that mattered to you, and I let you down. I'm sorry. Unfortunately, I can't take back what happened, but I can do better from now on. Tell me what you need."

"I don't even know. I'm just completely overwhelmed," I said hoarsely. "I'm exhausted—physically and mentally."

Edward sighed. "You've been dealing with too much. Christ, I was afraid of that."

"What do you mean?"

"Bella, I've asked so much of you. I've asked you to be understanding and mature about something someone twice your age would be struggling with. You've done beautifully, but it all takes its toll."

"It is kind of exhausting," I admitted.

"I'm sure it is," he said sympathetically.

"I'm trying so hard to finish school, not screw up at work, and be there for you and Maggie." The words poured out, making me realize just how much I'd been feeling worn down by everything I was dealing with. "And I'm trying to find a new job on top of dealing with not telling Tanya, and fighting with Alice and my parents about this … I'm just … done."

A pained expression crossed his face. "What do you mean done? Do you want to break things off?"

"What?" I asked, startled. "No."

He swallowed. "I'd understand if you did. I've asked far too much of you."

"No, I don't want that at all. I just need a break. Not from us, but from everything else. I'm fucking _tired_." I laughed and it came out semi-hysterical sounding. "I feel like my brain is having a meltdown. I can't even think straight right now, and then I feel ridiculous and childish for not being able to handle this."

"It's not childish to have a bad day or feel overwhelmed. I hate that I've had to ask you to deal with so much. It isn't fair to you. I feel like I haven't given you back anywhere near what I've asked _you_ to give _me_. If I haven't made it clear, I am in awe of your strength, Bella. I think a person of _any_ age would be struggling right now in the same situation. I hate to focus on the age issue but it is a factor. At twenty-three, you should be going to parties and having fun with your friends, not dealing with my ex-wife and daughter."

I shook my head. "I get what you're saying, but I've never been a party person, Edward. Sure, I went to a few the first couple years of school, but I rarely enjoyed them. A quiet evening in with you is infinitely more appealing than going to a party with a bunch of drunken idiots and pretending like I'm having fun. I didn't enjoy that when I was eighteen, much less now. I felt awkward and out of place and too old. I was always worried about being responsible and not screwing up my GPA or my job. I didn't have time for hangovers when I was working full time and going to school full time. I tried acting like your typical college student for a while, but it wasn't me."

"I am just afraid I'm forcing you to be someone you're not."

"You're not," I assured him. "Look, even when I was growing up, all of my friends were older than me. Alice is twenty-six, Rose and Emmett are twenty-seven and twenty-five, respectively. Hell, Rose and Emmett are married and have their first child on the way. My friends aren't out partying anyway. They have careers and are starting families. You aren't holding me back from anything or changing who I am. I want to be with you, Edward. I want to be with you and be a part of the life you have with Maggie. I'm choosing it; you're not forcing me into anything."

"Okay." He nodded. "The other thing is that I'm afraid you're putting too much pressure on yourself. You don't have to be perfect, Bella."

"I just want to be good enough for you." I looked down, staring at the couch cushion.

I lifted my eyes when Edward spoke. "You are, Bella. You're incredible, and you've done so much for Maggie and me. Let us take care of you for once."

"I don't know if there's anything you _can_ do."

"There has to be something. Come on; let's break it down one issue at a time. I know it's bothering you a great deal that you can't tell Tanya. Tell her."

"Are you sure?" I asked. "I don't want to do something that would jeopardize our secret."

"Bella, I can tell how much this is bothering you. Unless it is going to make you feel worse, I want you to tell her. You decide, based on _your_ needs."

I hesitated, but I knew that talking to Tanya would make me feel like there was one less thing hanging over my head. "Okay," I agreed, feeling a little lighter already. "I'll talk to her this weekend."

"What else? Exams are coming up next week, is there anything I can do to help you there?"

I thought for a moment. "Not really. Honestly, I just need to let that go. The final project is done and will get turned in Monday. Even if I did fail the one exam, it wouldn't matter. I'd still graduate and it wouldn't put much of a dent in my G.P.A."

"It's difficult to stop from wanting to do everything perfectly," Edward commiserated. "I've struggled with it for years. I beat myself up about it but I finally realized that I needed to stop. It wasn't doing me, or anyone else, any favors. It's not easy, but it's worth it."

I nodded. "I guess I've been doing that with the situation with Maggie, too. I _have_ been trying to be perfect."

"I don't need perfect. I just need you."

I took a deep breath and closed my eyes for a moment. I hadn't realized it until now, but clearly I had been putting way too much pressure on myself. I had dealt with it well until now but I had finally reached my breaking point.

"What else is causing you a lot of stress?" Edward asked quietly.

"I guess dealing with my dad." I sighed heavily. "I don't like the fact that we're not speaking to each other, so I guess I have to see if he'll talk to me. Especially with graduation coming up in a few weeks, I don't want to be fighting with him."

Edward frowned thoughtfully. "I'm going to make a suggestion, and I want you to be completely honest with me. If you don't like it, we'll scrap it, but it's something I think might help."

"Okay."

"What if I call him and speak to him directly? If he's amenable, we can go visit your parents next weekend. I think he needs to see that I'm sincere in my feelings for you and that I'm not the kind of man he's imagining me to be."

"I'm not sure he'll be feeling reasonable enough to have a polite conversation on the phone, but I don't see how it could make the situation any worse," I admitted.

"What about going to visit them next weekend? Are you comfortable with that?"

"What about Maggie?"

"Stop worrying about Maggie. She needs to see that you're a priority of mine as well. I'll see if she wants to stay with my brother and sister-in-law for the weekend. Esme mentioned something about her visiting over the holiday break anyway, so I'm sure it will be fine." Edward hesitated before continuing. "Bella, I don't want you to feel like I'm ever being dismissive of your needs. I've had to put you second for far too long. I want to make some changes there."

"I understand though," I protested. "Maggie needs you."

"I know you understand, but I know how frustrating it is, too. There's nothing wrong with that, Bella."

"It _is_ frustrating," I admitted.

"Then let _me_ worry about the details. If you think it'll help you, let's visit your parents next weekend."

"Okay," I agreed, my stress easing now that Edward had come up with a plan. "I think that will be good."

"Now, I want you to be completely selfish. Tell me the one thing you want right now more than anything. Don't think about Maggie or being practical. If you could have anything in the world right now, what would it be? If I have the power to make it happen, I will."

"Hmm." I took a moment to think. "Honestly? I really just want to fall asleep in your arms."

"Anything in the world and you just want me?" he mused. "You have no idea how that makes me feel."

I flushed. "I know it's not possible."

"Anything is possible. Let me call Maggie now."

I opened my mouth to protest, but he silenced me with a quick kiss before explaining. "You need this. Let me focus on you tonight."

Rather than continue to argue, I relaxed and he pulled out his phone and called Maggie. "Hey, Mags, are you having fun?"

He smiled as he listened to her speak for a moment. "Good. Glad to hear it. It does sound like a funny movie. Hey, I need a favor from you. Bella's had a really rough day, and I'm over at her place right now. I am going to stay here tonight. You can stay with one of your friends if their parents are all right with it. Or, you can come home. I'll let you decide. Either way, I expect you to be on your best behavior. Just remember that this is not a license for you to take advantage of the fact I'm not home."

He listened for a moment. "Sounds good. Text me when you find out about staying with Amy. Unhuh. I'm trusting you to behave tonight."

He paused and his voice softened. "I'll tell her that. I love you."

"Goodnight, Mags. I'll see you in the morning." He turned to me the moment he hung up the phone. "Done. I'm yours for the night."

"Thank you." Overwhelmed by what he'd done, I started crying again and he pulled me close, settling back onto the couch and pulling my body up to drape over his so my head was tucked in the crook of his arm.

"Shh. It's okay. This is the least I can do."

He stroked my hair soothingly and let me cry. Utterly and completely spent from the emotional day, I fell asleep in his arms.

I awoke some time later, disoriented and confused. "Edward?" I asked, tilting my head to look up at him.

"I'm right here." His arm tightened around me. "How are you feeling?"

"Better. Exhausted, but better." I stretched and yawned.

"Good. Let's go to bed. We could both use a good night's sleep, I think."

I disentangled myself from his embrace and stood up. He followed a moment later with a groan.

"Sorry, you're way too tall for this couch," I apologized. "You must have been so uncomfortable and now you're going to have to sleep in this tiny bed of mine."

Edward shook his head and stretched, his hand coming to rest on my lower back. "A little physical discomfort is worth having you in my arms—especially if that's what you need right now."

"Thank you," I said softly and turned to face him. "For everything tonight. I guess I really did need this."

"You don't have to be strong all the time, Bella. I've asked a lot of you over the last few months. What I need now is for you to tell me when you need something from me. If I can't do it, I'll tell you. But never feel guilty for asking me for something."

"I'll work on it," I promised and he kissed me softly.

We walked through the apartment, turned off the lights, and locked the door. We went into the bathroom and I dug out a spare toothbrush for him and handed him the toothpaste while I washed my face.

"Did Maggie end up staying with a friend?" I asked.

"Yeah, she's staying with her friend Amy. She texted me half an hour ago."

"She didn't seem mad, did she?" I asked.

He paused with the toothbrush halfway to his mouth. "Maggie? No. She sounded surprised, but not upset. Oh, and that reminds me. She wanted me to tell you that she's sorry you're having a bad day."

I smiled and smoothed a little lotion on my face, meeting his gaze in the mirror. "That's sweet. Tell her thank you when you get home tomorrow."

"I will."

We finished getting ready for bed and went in the bedroom. "Do you want a hanger for your clothes?" I asked as he stripped. He shook his head, draping his button-down shirt over a chair back.

"No, it's fine. I don't think I have the ambition to worry about it tonight."

We crawled into bed; Edward was wearing nothing but boxer briefs while I was dressed in the undershirt he'd just taken off. I sighed with contentment when we were both on our sides, his body spooned around mine. His arm was heavy where it draped over my waist, and I felt safe and secure in his arms. "Thank you. I needed this," I said softly.

"I did, too."

I fell asleep quickly after that, reassured that at least some of the issues that had been stressing me out were being resolved. Edward was right; I had been trying so hard for so long to hold it together. I wasn't perfect by any means, and I shouldn't expect myself to always act perfectly. Edward loved me either way.

Also, it was nice to know that for one night, I was Edward's priority.

* * *

**Notes:** Well, Bella finally reached the end of her rope. She's been trying hard to hold it all together, but she's been juggling a lot and Jasper knowing about her relationship with Edward was kind of the last straw.

What did you think about the interview and the fight/make-up talk with Edward? I think they addressed some of the things they've both been struggling with and in the long run, their relationship will be better for it.

I recently started a Facebook group called Discordia's Library. If you'd like to join, add me as a friend on FB, and let me know you'd like to be added to the group.

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	23. Chapter 22 - Bella's Bedroom

**Notes:** Huge thanks to my pre-readers: Grnidgirl, ShellShock, and Jules Twifanawesomesox; my beta: Alice's White Rabbit; and my Validation beta: Totoro

I know you've all been dying for E&B to get some alone time lately. Here you go!

* * *

**Chapter 22: Bella's Bedroom**

In the morning, I awoke to hands softly running over my body. Fingers skimmed up my thighs, and I felt soft kisses against the back of my neck. Still half-asleep, I pressed back against Edward, feeling warm and content.

His hand slid under the hem of the shirt I was wearing, and he cupped my breast, caressing it as he nibbled at my neck. I shivered and moaned quietly. His hips shifted against mine, and I could feel the hard press of his erection through the thin fabric. Either he'd been touching me for a while, or I'd been having a very good dream, because I could feel how wet I was.

Edward shifted onto his back and removed his underwear. When he turned back and pressed against me, my legs parted so he could align our bodies. His arm wrapped around my waist as he sank inside of me, whispering, "I love you," in my ear.

"I love you, too," I gasped. I pressed my face against the pillow as he began to move. It was a slow, sweet rocking rhythm that went on and on. When his breathing finally grew strained and harsh in my ear and I was shaking from hovering on the edge of an orgasm, he slipped his hand between my thighs and circled my clit with his thumb.

I cried out into the pillow as I came, the sheets clutched tightly in my hand. The clenching of my body around him sent Edward over the edge and he panted against my shoulder as he came inside me a few moments later.

We lay there quietly for a little while before I sighed contentedly and stretched, turning over to face him. I smiled, feeling sleepy and content. "What a nice way to wake up."

Edward brushed his thumb across my cheek and smiled at me. "I'm working on making it happen more often. Maggie's doing better, and I think over the next few weeks you should be able to spend the night."

"You think she's ready?"

"I do, and I think it's a good lesson for her to learn that our needs are every bit as important as hers. We just have to find the right balance."

"Okay." I grabbed his hand and threaded my fingers through his, pulling our joined hands toward me to rest against my chest. "Thank you again for last night."

"You're welcome." Edward hesitated a moment and then frowned. "Bella, I hope you know how much I appreciate everything you've done for me … and for Maggie. I don't want you to ever feel like I'm not aware of the sacrifices you've had to make."

"They're worth it to me, Edward."

"I'm glad, but I want you to know that I'm willing to make some, too. I have every confidence that you will get the marketing position at Providence, but if for some reason you don't, I've been looking into positions at other hospitals in the area."

"Other marketing positions?" I asked quizzically.

"No, other positions for _me_."

"Edward—" I protested, but he cut me off.

"Hear me out, Bella. Yes, I would prefer to work at Providence; I love my current position there. However, the job will _never_ matter as much to me as you. I can succeed elsewhere. If it takes me finding something different so we can be together publicly, it's a sacrifice I'm more than willing to make. Although, it might take some time to find something since I have to stay within the Portland area."

"You would do that for me?" I asked.

"Of course I would."

"Then how about this? If I don't get the job I just interviewed for, we'll both look elsewhere. It'll increase our chances."

He nodded reluctantly. "I just want to be sure you know that your happiness and success are every bit as important to me as my own and Maggie's. I don't want you to ever feel like you have to sacrifice your ambitions to be with me."

"I do know that," I reassured him, "but thank you for reminding me."

"When should I call your father?" Edward asked after a few moments of silence and I exhaled heavily and shrugged.

"I don't know. Let me email my mom and see what she suggests."

"Tonight, I'll talk to Esme about Maggie spending the weekend with her and Carlisle."

"Okay." A thought occurred to me. "Hey, I never asked you how it went when you told your family about me."

Edward looked at me, surprised. "You're right. I was so wrapped up in what happened with your father and your shopping trip with Maggie that it completely slipped my mind. It went well, actually."

I swallowed nervously. "They weren't upset?"

"They were concerned about some of the potential risks, of course; particularly my father and brother. But when I explained how much closer we're getting to it no longer being a risk to our careers, and they fully understood how much you mean to me, they were supportive."

I heaved a sigh of relief. "They don't hate me, then?"

"Oh, Bella, no. Of course they don't," Edward reassured me. "In particular, my mother and Esme are eager to meet you. I think they find the idea of a forbidden relationship romantic."

"Forbidden relationship?" I chuckled. "Have you been reading cheesy romance novels lately?"

Edward grinned at me. "You know what I mean."

"I know."

His expression grew more serious. "Overall, my family is thrilled I've found someone who makes me happy. They are eager to meet you."

I felt a wave of relief wash over me. "It's good to have some people supporting us, and at this point, the fewer people we have to keep this a secret from, the better I feel."

"I agree. Are you going to tell Tanya today?"

"Yes." I sighed heavily, anxiety beginning to build at the thought of how she might react.

"How do you feel about that?"

"Relieved," I answered promptly, "but a little scared. I'm dreading the conversation, even though I know it needs to happen, and it will make me feel better in the long run. Lying to people I care about has always been the hardest part of this for me."

"I know." Edward stroked my hair soothingly. "I regret that I ever asked you to keep this from her."

"It wasn't just you though, Edward. I agreed to it. At the time, it was what made the most sense."

Edward grimaced. "I dislike the fact that our relationship has strained two of your friendships _and_ your relationship with your father."

"I don't like it either," I admitted, "but Alice and I are doing better, Tanya and I will figure it out, and hopefully next weekend my father will get his head out of his ass."

He chuckled. "I am sure he's imagining the worst. No doubt he sees me as some kind of predator who does this all the time. He probably thinks that I somehow coerced you and that I'll move on to the next co-ed when I'm through with you."

"I just hate that he doesn't trust my judgment," I said. "Doesn't he know that I would never be with anyone like that?"

"I'm not trying to justify what he said to you; that was inexcusable. But I picture myself in his shoes, and it makes me panic just thinking about it. The thought of Maggie even dating stresses me out. I sincerely hope she will be a capable, intelligent adult like you are when she's twenty-three, but I have to imagine that seven years from now I'm still going to feel very protective of her."

"I understand that, or at least I'm trying to."

"I know." Edward kissed me softly.

"I don't suppose it will help the situation if I remind him that I was the one who pursued you initially."

Edward grinned. "I think it very much depends on what part of that you tell him about."

I shifted our bodies so Edward was lying flat on his back and I was hovering over him, my knees on either side of his hips. "I think I better not tell him that I came on to you at work, we fucked in the break room, and then I went home with you for the weekend."

His hand smoothed down my back and over my hips. "Hmm, I think that's a good plan. I don't see that going over well."

"I can't imagine why," I said jokingly. "I'm sure every father would love to hear that his only daughter is completely and utterly shameless."

Edward reached up and pushed my hair behind my ear, touching my cheek softly. "Not shameless—just caught up in something unstoppable."

"Is that what it felt like to you?" I asked curiously.

"Yes. It felt like I wasn't even in control anymore. All the rules I had laid out were just gone and there wasn't a single thing in the world that I could do to hold off the inevitable. Touching you, being with you, was going to happen, no matter what I tried to do to stop it."

"Like fate?" I asked.

"In a way." He paused. "That first weekend, I couldn't begin to understand what you saw in me. It felt like I was getting a chance at something so far out of the realm of what I ever thought I deserved that it couldn't last."

"I'm glad you were able to see that you do deserve happiness." I cupped his cheek in my hand and smiled at him. He smiled back, and I brushed my thumbs across the creases that formed at the corners of his eyes. "I'll be honest, Edward. This hasn't been easy, but I wouldn't take it back for the world."

"Good." He lifted his head to kiss me softly and then pulled back, his eyes serious and thoughtful. "Just trust that I will do everything I can to prove to your father that he was completely wrong about me. And I'll be by your side to support you while you try to work it out with him."

"Thank you. It does help knowing that."

"I spent a lot of years feeling very alone, despite the fact that I was married to someone. If you _ever_ feel like that, promise me that you'll tell me."

"I will," I reassured him.

Edward glanced over at the clock and sighed.

"Do you need to head out?" I asked, sitting up.

"I should head home soon," he said, sounding reluctant. "Am I a terrible parent for wishing that I didn't have a child to consider right now?"

I chuckled. "I would imagine most parents feel like that sometimes."

He brushed a strand of hair off my face. "I do have time for a shower before I leave. Want to join me?"

"Of course."

After the shower and a quick breakfast together, Edward left. I tidied and cleaned the apartment, knowing I was stalling. It didn't take long though, and when the place was spotless, I finally grabbed my phone, took a deep breath, and called Tanya.

"Bella!" she answered, sounding surprised but happy. "What's up?"

"I was wondering if you want to come over today."

"I'd love to! What do you want to do?" she asked.

"I have something I want to talk to you about," I said.

"Oh, sure. I was in the middle of doing laundry, but I could come over in about forty-five minutes, if that's cool."

"That's fine. Whatever works for you."

"Great! I'll see you then!" she said excitedly.

After I hung up, I took some time to relax and try to calm my racing heart. I couldn't believe how nervous I was about telling Tanya the truth. To keep myself busy, I started baking, and I was just pulling a sheet of double chocolate chunk cookies out of the oven when I heard her knock.

Tanya grinned at me when I opened the door. "I am so glad you called!"

_I hope you still feel that way after we talk,_ I thought grimly. I still felt anxious but I hugged her anyway and closed the door behind her.

"Oh my God, are those cookies or brownies you just baked? They smell _amazing_." She tossed her purse on the coffee table as we walked into the living room.

"Cookies. I just pulled them out of the oven. We can have some once they cool a little." I took a seat on the couch and she followed my lead, sitting at the other end.

She gave me a quizzical look. "So, what's up? You said you wanted to talk about something, and now you're acting all stiff and weird. What's going on?"

I curled my knees up to my chest and let out a huge breath. "I wanted to talk to you about Anthony."

"Oh!" She looked startled. "Okay. Is everything all right?"

"Yeah, he and I are good." I nervously picked at the seam of my jeans. "I have a confession to make though. I've … I've been lying to you since August, Tanya."

"What?" She blinked in shock. "Lying to me about _what_? I don't understand."

"There is no guy named Anthony, but there _is_ a guy." I paused and took a deep breath. "I've been dating Edward Cullen."

Shock and disbelief crossed her face and it took her a moment to gather her thoughts. "You've been with _Edward_ this whole time?" She finally said. "Holy shit!"

"Yeah."

"Wow … I never would've guessed." She shook her head slowly as if trying to grasp the situation. She frowned at me. "Why didn't you tell me?"

"I'm sorry." I looked down, hating the hurt look on her face. "I feel awful that I didn't. Edward and I … we agreed not to tell _anyone_. Unfortunately, we had to tell his assistant, Pat, when she figured it out, but no one else at work knows. We just couldn't risk it."

"What the fuck? You thought I was a risk?" she asked, getting up abruptly.

"No, no, of course not, Tanya," I reassured her.

"I would never have outed you guys. I can't believe you thought I would." She began pacing around the room, her fingers twisting her hair anxiously.

"No, it's not that. We know you'd never deliberately tell anyone. But Edward could have been fired and faced a sexual harassment suit. We decided that if no one knew the truth but us, we'd be safer. It was as much about our reactions as anyone else's. I was afraid I would slip up and say something to you that someone else would overhear or I'd give you a look that someone would see."

She turned to face the window for a long moment, and I got up and went over to her, gently touching her shoulder so she'd turn to face me. When she did, she swallowed hard and I could see her eyes well up. "It just really hurts that you didn't think you could trust me with the truth. I thought we were better friends than that."

I wiped away a tear of my own. "I'm sorry. I really am. I hate that I've been lying to you. It has absolutely nothing to do with how good of friends we are or how much I trust you. Edward didn't even tell his brother about it."

"Was anything you told me true?"

"Of course. I tried to tell you the truth as much as possible," I said. "Do you want to know what really happened?"

I caught a glimmer of the Tanya I knew when she leveled a mock-glare at me and crossed her arms over her chest. "Of course I do! I'm so pissed that you lied, but I'm dying to know how the hell you ended up dating the VP of our department!"

I chuckled and tugged her back over to the couch. "Well, you know that time you joked about arranging to get locked in the supply closet with him?"

"Vaguely, yeah. Why? Did you?" Her eyes gleamed.

"No, but it wasn't far off," I admitted. "We'd been … really flirty for a while, lots of significant glances, and crazy sexual tension any time we were alone. So one night, we ended up in the break room after everyone was gone and we kind of admitted we were interested in each other. But he went off on this whole spiel about why it was a bad idea, and I went home frustrated and really pissed off."

"Yeah, I remember that," Tanya said.

"Well, on your suggestion, I teased him all week, and that Friday we ended up alone in the break room again. Things got out of hand, and he ended up fucking me on the counter in there."

"No way!" Her jaw dropped, and I couldn't help but chuckle a little.

"Yep. And then we went home together." I proceeded to tell her what had happened after that. It felt so good to get it all off my chest, and as we progressed, I felt lighter and lighter.

When we finished, she knew nearly everything. There were a few things I chose to keep private just because they were so intensely personal, but it felt good to have the vast majority of it out in the open.

Tanya shook her head when I was done, trying to take it all in. "Wow … that's crazy. I mean, I'm really happy for you, but that's a lot to deal with; an ex-wife, a teenage daughter, and a secret relationship. Damn, you sure don't make things easy on yourself."

"You're not kidding," I said dryly. "He's completely worth it, but I am just dying for the day we can finally be out in the open. I'm tired of the lies and the hiding."

She nodded sympathetically. "I'm sure. And I know you had a lot of good reasons for not telling me, but honestly, it stings to know that you didn't tell me, and that you chose to lie to me about it."

"I know." I swallowed hard. "And I'm sorry. I just hope you can forgive me."

"Yeah, you know me, I don't hold grudges. It's just … it's really hurtful to find out one of your closest friends has been lying to you for three months."

"I know, and I can't tell you enough how sorry I am," I said sincerely. "Now, obviously this goes without saying, but we're trusting you with our secret until we can be out publicly."

"Of course," she said. "I won't breathe a word."

"You really never figured it out?" I asked curiously. "I was so afraid everyone was suspicious of us."

She snorted. "Obviously not. If I'd suspected it, I would have been interrogating you about it. But I didn't suspect a thing. I mean, I saw the flirty looks and then I noticed he kind of stopped all that. But I never thought it ever went beyond that."

"Well, that's a relief, I guess." I sighed. "I am just so afraid I'm not going to get the job and then we'll have to wait even longer."

She smiled sympathetically. "You guys have had to deal with a lot."

I put my hand on her forearm. "It really helps that I can talk to you now. It was stressing me out so much not to be able to."

"You had no idea how many crazy theories I had come up with."

I chuckled. "I'm sorry I worried you."

"I know." She nudged me with her knee. "So, to make it up to me, you're going to feed me those delicious smelling cookies and tell me all about your man. I'm dying to know, what's it like being with an older guy?"

I shook my head at her and got up. I answered her as she followed me into the kitchen for cookies. "I don't think I can really compare it. Being with him is totally different than when I was with any of the guys in my past." I shrugged and transferred the cookies from the baking sheet to two small plates.

"Well, I get that. I mean, sex with Bryan is nothing like it ever was with the guys I dated before. But that doesn't really tell me much about how Edward is in bed."

I shrugged and took a bite of my cookie. "He's fantastic, but so much of that is because of who Edward is and how much I care about him."

"That's great and all, but what I want to know about is the cock."

I snorted, sending crumbs flying everywhere. "Damn it, Tanya!"

"Sorry. But come on! I'm dying here."

I grabbed a piece of paper towel and wiped up the counter. "Uhm, what about it?"

She leaned forward. "What's it like?"

"I don't know." I flushed. "Amazing."

"Huge?"

"Um, not freakishly so, but it's certainly not small." I looked down at my plate with a smile. "The first time we were together—there in the break room—I remember thinking it was the most perfect cock on the planet."

"Now that's what I'm talking about," she crowed. "I still can't believe you fucked him at work."

"I can't believe I did either. It seems a little surreal sometimes. But I'm glad I did. If I hadn't pushed him …"

"He really wouldn't have made the first move?"

"No." I shook my head. "For a lot of reasons."

"Well it's a good thing you were so ballsy. I'll be honest; I didn't think you had it in you."

"Me either. I just imagine what it would be like if we weren't together now ..." I sighed. "I would have missed out on so much."

"You're really in love with him, aren't you?" she asked thoughtfully.

"I risked my career, got in the worst fight I've ever had with my dad, and took Edward's sixteen-year-old daughter shopping for him. Yeah, I'm really in love with him." I snorted and shook my head at her.

"Sorry. That was dumb." She grabbed a cookie and took a bite before continuing. "Obviously you are. It just blows me away that you've been living this whole other life for the last three months. I feel so far behind."

"I'm sorry," I apologized, crumbling the remainder of the cookie on my plate.

"I know. I'm not mad, exactly. Just trying to get used to the idea of it all."

"I'm living it, and some days I'm still a little bit in shock." I shrugged. "I just want to fast-forward to the time we can be out at work, Maggie is doing better, and we can enjoy time alone again."

"I think it's really amazing that you guys have made this work. I don't think most couples would have."

"Really?"

"Yeah, I can't even imagine it. I don't know if I could have done it."

"Not even for Bryan?"

"I'd like to think I could, but realistically … I don't know. You're brave, Bella, and really strong. I'm totally amazed by you."

"Thanks, Tanya."

I reached out and squeezed her hand, feeling incredibly grateful to have a friend like her.

**~BtBR~**

Telling Tanya the truth was enough to drop my anxiety to a manageable level. Edward was, of course, happy for me and relieved that I was feeling better. I went into work the next day with a spring in my step and a much sunnier outlook on life.

Tanya played her part flawlessly. When Edward walked in, he nodded at both of us as usual. "Morning, Ms. Swan, Ms. Denali."

She kept a polite but distant smile on her face and nodded back. "Morning, Mr. Cullen."

She didn't so much as look in my direction or make the slightest move that would give our secret away. I trusted her, but a small part of me had still worried that she might inadvertently reveal our secret.

The next few days passed in a whirl as I turned in my final project for one class and took an exam for the second. When I handed it in, I let out a huge sigh of relief. Finally, I was done with school. Even if I somehow managed to bomb the project and final, I would graduate. It was a surreal feeling to drive off campus and realize that the only reason I'd ever have to come back was for the actual ceremony. After five long years, I was done with school. The commencement ceremony was really just a formality.

It was like a huge weight had lifted off my shoulders. Every step forward was a step toward a future where I started my career and could publicly have a relationship with Edward.

I had planned to email my mother to ask her about Edward calling my father, but once I got home, I decided to call her instead.

"Hey, honey, how are you?" she asked.

"Well, today was my last day of finals, so that's good," I said cheerfully.

"It has to be a little surreal."

"Mostly, it's a relief," I admitted. "I was really ready to be done."

"I'm sure." She hesitated before speaking again. "I hate to say this, Bella, but your father is still being a stubborn ass."

I laughed mirthlessly. "I'd like to say I'm surprised, but ..."

"I wish I knew what to say to him to bring him around."

"Edward had a suggestion, and I think it might be a good one."

"What's that?"

"He offered to call Dad and speak directly to him, and then for the two of us to come talk with you both this weekend."

She sounded surprised. "He's brave."

"Yes. Plus, he knows just how hurt I am by this. He wants to do whatever he can to help."

"He sounds like a good man."

"He _is_. And I think if Dad would just give him a chance, he'd see that." I exhaled in frustration. "What do you think about the idea?"

"I think it's worth a shot."

"I don't see how it could make things any worse. I mean, what else can Dad do? Disown me?"

My mother spoke, the worry in her voice clear. "Oh, Bella, you aren't actually afraid he'd do that, are you?"

"No, not really," I admitted.

"Your father may be making some monumentally bad decisions right now, but he would never disown you."

"I just don't even know what to do."

"I think Edward's suggestion is a good one. Have him call your father and talk to him, and then plan to come up this weekend. I will make him listen to you both, even if I have to use his own handcuffs to cuff him to a chair."

I chuckled. "Thanks, Mom."

"Bella, I want you to know that no matter what my reservations about your relationship with Edward are, I love you, I respect that you're an adult, and I know that it's your decision. I never want you to feel like I don't support you."

I wiped away a couple of tears that slipped down my cheek. "Thanks," I choked out. "I appreciate that."

She suggested I have Edward call my father that night and I told her I'd let him know. I called Edward immediately after I ended the conversation with my mother.

"How did your exam go?" he asked, and I smiled that he remembered.

"It went well. I feel like I was prepared, and honestly, I'm so glad to have it done, I don't even care if I failed it."

He chuckled. "I'm sure you did great."

"How was your day?"

"Long. Maggie had a therapy session tonight."

"How'd it go?"

"Better than some of them have. She didn't come out sobbing, so that's a plus. She's pretty withdrawn though. I know they're working through what she would say to her mother once she does talk to her again."

"Ugh, that has to be hard."

"It is. But I like that the therapist is giving her some constructive methods for coping with her hurt and helping her come up with a plan. Otherwise it's going to be a mess once they do talk."

"Maybe I need to go so I can deal with my father." I sighed and grabbed the throw pillow next to me on the couch, fluffing it in frustration. "Oh, I talked to my mother, by the way."

"What did she say?"

"She suggested you call my father tonight and she agrees that us coming to visit this weekend is a good idea."

"Shit, I haven't called Esme yet about this weekend," Edward swore. "Sorry, it's been a busy week."

"It's fine. We'll figure it out."

"I will call your father tonight. In fact, maybe I'll do that now."

"Good luck." I gave him my father's number and asked, "Will you call me back tonight and let me know how it goes?"

"Of course."

"I love you."

"I love you, too, Bella. I'll talk to you in a little while."

To keep myself occupied while I waited for Edward to call back, I decided to paint my nails. I had just finished my toes and was about to start on my fingers when he called back.

"How did it go?" I asked nervously.

"I think he was shocked that I called. I wouldn't say he was friendly but he didn't hang up on me and he agreed to us coming out this weekend to talk."

I let out of a sigh of relief. "That's something I guess."

"I have to believe he'll come around. He loves you; that much is obvious. He won't stay angry forever."

"I might," I muttered. "Well, not really, but it's tempting."

Edward chuckled. "I know."

We wrapped up our conversation and he promised he would call his sister-in-law in the morning. I finished my nails, read until they dried, and then went to bed, both anxious and eager about what the weekend would bring.

The following day was so busy, I hardly had time to worry about it. I was on automatic pilot when I answered the phone shortly before lunch. We were swamped with patients lined up three-deep to register.

"Patient Registration, this is Bella speaking, how may I help you?" I answered, without looking at the display to see who was calling.

"Ms. Swan? This is Jasper Whitlock speaking."

My heart jumped in my chest. "Yes, sir. How can I help you?"

He chuckled warmly. "I'd like to officially welcome you to Providence Medical Center's Marketing Department. You got the position."

* * *

**Notes:** So, that was a pretty packed chapter. You got lemons, the news that Edward's family is supportive of their relationship, Bella told Tanya the truth, AND E&B are going to go visit her parents. *phew* Best of all, Bella got the job in Marketing!

I am dying to hear what you think of it all!

I recently started a Facebook group called Discordia's Library. If you'd like to join, add me as a friend on FB, and let me know you'd like to be added to the group.

Please stop by to chat or look for teasers in the following places:

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	24. Chapter 23 - Silverton, Oregon

**Notes:** Huge thanks to my pre-readers: Grnidgirl, ShellShock, and Jules Twifanawesomesox; my beta: Alice's White Rabbit; and my Validation beta: Totoro

You were all very excited about Bella's new job and all of the good things that are happening for E&B. I think you're going to love this weekend away. The next two chapters will cover their visit to Bella's hometown.

* * *

**Chapter 23: Silverton, Oregon**

After I finished speaking with Jasper, I told Tanya and she was nearly as excited as I was. We took a moment to celebrate, and then I excused myself, "I need to go make a quick phone call."

Tanya smiled knowingly at me. "Yes, I'm sure Anthony will want to hear about your new job."

I chuckled and hurried to the restroom to call Edward. I was shaking when I tried to dial his number. "I got it," I said hoarsely when he answered. "I got the job."

I heard his exhale of relief. "I'm so happy for you, Bella."

"I'm so happy for _us_." A grateful tear slid down my cheek. "It's such a relief."

"Where are you right now?"

I chuckled. "In the bathroom. I ran in here so I'd have some privacy to call you."

"I'm glad you did. Christ, I wish I could kiss you right now."

"Soon," I said huskily. "Soon we can call each other, and hold hands, and kiss and no one can do a damn thing about it."

"If I didn't have a meeting in twenty minutes, I'd see if I could sneak away to meet you at your apartment on your lunch hour."

"Mmm, I wish you could."

"After work," he said, his voice low and husky.

"Are you sure?"

"I can't stay long, but we've waited three months for this news, Bella. I have to see you and touch you. I want to celebrate."

"Okay," I agreed happily.

On my lunch break, I went over to the main hospital building to put in my two weeks' notice with my boss. Jane was on the phone when I arrived, but her door was open. When she spotted me, she held up a finger to indicate she'd be with me in a moment and gestured for me to take a seat. As soon as her call was done, she turned to me. "What can I help you with, Bella?"

"I came over to tell you that I got hired into the marketing department. I'm here to put in my two weeks' notice."

She always came across as cool and a little distant, so the smile that lit up her face at the news shocked me. "I am so thrilled. When Diane contacted me, I told her how disappointed we would be to lose you in our department but that she couldn't find a better fit for that position."

"Thank you," I said, touched by her kind words.

"You're welcome. Unfortunately, you have been sorely under-utilized in your current role. You've been a real asset to my team, but I always knew that once you graduated you'd move on to bigger and better things. I'm extremely glad to hear you're going to be staying here at Providence, and I know you'll be a great fit for that position."

"I appreciate your support. I hope I'm not leaving you guys in the lurch since Shelly is retiring, too."

Jane waved off my concerns. "Absolutely not. I already interviewed people for Shelly's position, and I was sorry that I could only hire one of them; we had some great candidates. I'll just call up the second one on my list and see if they're interested in starting immediately. Would you be willing to help train the new people in your final two weeks?"

"Of course."

Jane's phone rang and she glanced at it. "Sorry, I need to get that. Congratulations though, Bella. I'm thrilled for you."

"Thank you, Jane." I shook her hand and excused myself.

**~BtBR~**

I practically floated through the rest of the day, and when Edward arrived at my apartment after work, I attacked him.

He was barely in the door before I kissed him. I reached for the buttons of his wool jacket, undoing them as we stumbled toward my bedroom. The coat was tossed onto the couch as we passed the living room, and although I loosened his tie, it never actually came off.

Neither did his shirt or pants.

Instead, I ended up bent over the bed, my shirt off and my skirt hiked up around my hips. We were both so worked up that, in moments, his hand was between my thighs, skillfully readying me for his cock. My head dropped, and I moaned low and long when he thrust into me.

"Fuck, Edward," I gasped. "Yes."

I could feel the silk of his tie brush against my back and I gripped the bed sheets tighter when he wrapped my hair around his hand.

"Do you know how many times I fantasized about doing this to you?" he murmured.

My breathless laugh dissolved into a moan as I pushed back against him. "About as many times as I imagined you doing it, I bet."

His pace was quick, and I came with a hoarse cry, my fingers clenching the sheets so tightly my knuckles went white. He came a few thrusts later, his hips tight against mine as he shook with the force of his orgasm.

"Jesus, Bella," was all he managed before he let go of my hair and slid out of me. He dragged his underwear and pants up over his hips and collapsed onto the bed. Shakily, I slid my skirt back down and joined him. He was flung sideways over the bed, his feet on the floor, his arms spread wide. I curled up with my head on his bicep, my fingers sliding beneath his un-tucked shirt to touch his bare skin. I stretched to kiss his jaw, and he lazily rolled his head to the side so we were staring into each other's eyes.

"Well, that was less romantic than I intended," he said.

"Sorry," I apologized.

His hand came up to play with my hair, a small smile playing on his lips. "Don't be; I have no complaints."

"It's a really good thing I didn't see you at work. I don't know what I would have done," I said, and he chuckled. "God, I can hardly believe that not only am I done with school but I got the job. This may be the best week of my life."

"It's up there for me, too," Edward said. "I am so proud of you."

"Thank you." I smiled at him and leaned in for a kiss.

"So, what's the plan for this weekend?" I asked. "When would you like to go to visit my parents?"

"Well, your father told me he works Friday night and Maggie has a therapy session that evening, so I think we should head there on Saturday."

"Okay."

"Maggie and Esme sounded excited about spending Saturday and Sunday together."

"So we have all weekend together?"

"We do." He grinned at me. "We can head out to Silverton in the morning, if that sounds good to you."

"That sounds great."

"Do you think we'll want to stay more than a day?"

"I don't know," I said honestly. "I guess it depends on how it goes."

"Well, why don't we play it by ear? If you'd like, I can reserve a hotel room in town for Saturday night. If things go well on Saturday, we could plan to do something with your parents on Sunday. If not, it will give us a chance to have some time alone."

"Sure, that sounds good," I said. "And having some alone time is never a bad thing."

"No, it's not."

Edward couldn't stay much longer, but I let him go without protest. After all, we had the weekend to look forward to, and in a few short weeks, we could begin to go public with our relationship. If we could get my father to come around, we might finally have more going for us than against us.

**~BtBR~**

Later that day, I called Alice, Rose and my mother to tell them about my good news, and they were all thrilled for me. I also spoke again with Diane, and I was excited to learn that December nineteenth would be my official starting date. Diane wouldn't be stepping into the management position until early January, but that gave me several weeks for her to train me in my new role as a communications specialist. There were a number of papers I had to fill out in HR as well, and I was glad to know the next two weeks would keep me busy.

I had been so concerned with how the job would change my relationship with Edward that I had hardly considered the other ways it would change things—mainly, I would be getting a substantial pay increase. It was enough that I could stop living more or less paycheck-to-paycheck and put money into savings. No matter what, Edward would probably always make more money than I did, but at least with the new job, I would feel like we were on slightly more even footing.

On Friday night, Tanya and I went out for drinks and dinner to celebrate my new job. It felt so good to be able to hang out with her and speak honestly about Edward without worrying I might say the wrong thing.

I called him that night after I got home. Maggie was in her room, so once again Edward and I talked dirty to each other on the phone.

"You know, I think maybe you should pack that toy and the massage oil this weekend," Edward said huskily when we were both spent and sated, breathing harshly into the phone.

"You do, huh?" I teased.

"Mmhmm. If you're still stressed, I can give you a massage and make you feel better. If it goes well … then we can really celebrate."

I giggled. "I like that idea. It's kind of a win either way."

"It is, and even better, I'll get to hold you all night long."

I sighed. "I miss that so much."

"Me, too. This weekend we'll be in Silverton, next Friday is your graduation, and I think we should aim for you spending the night shortly after that."

"That sounds good. I'd really like that."

**~BtBR~**

On Saturday morning, I packed my bags for the weekend and arrived at Edward's house early. Maggie was just stumbling downstairs when I got there, and they were both dressed in pajamas.

"Morning, Bella," she mumbled as she came into the kitchen.

"Morning, Maggie."

She disappeared into the hallway to the garage, and Edward grabbed my hand, pulling me to him for a brief, chaste kiss.

Maggie returned a moment later with what I assumed was her school bag.

"Are you headed over to Aunt Esme and Uncle Carlisle's now?" Edward asked her.

"Once I finish packing, yeah." She started to leave the room, but turned back to us. "Congrats on the job, Bella. Dad said you got the one you interviewed for."

I grinned at her, thrilled that not only were she and Edward talking about me, but that she had taken the time to congratulate me. "Thank you, Maggie, I did. I'm very excited about it."

"You're welcome."

She disappeared up the stairs, and I turned to look at Edward. "That was sweet."

He nodded, and I could see the pride in his eyes. I could only hope that my own father would be as proud of me again. The things he'd said to me hurt so much.

Edward and I were in the kitchen talking about when we were going to leave when Maggie came back down with a different bag slung over her shoulder. "I'm headed out."

"Have fun," Edward said. "Give me a call if you need anything, you have the name and number of the hotel in Silverton if you can't get ahold of me on my cell for any reason. We'll be back Sunday."

"'K. See you then." She kissed her father on the cheek and turned to me. "Um, I hope it goes okay with your dad."

"Me, too, Maggie." I sighed. "And thanks. I feel like I need all of the luck I can get."

She waved goodbye to both of us and left. Edward leaned in and gave me a deeper kiss, one that was so good it made my toes curl.

"So, do you want to head out right away or have breakfast first?" he asked when he pulled back.

I laughed breathlessly. "You expect me to think straight after a kiss like that?"

He grinned, looking a little smug. "I love that you can't."

"So … breakfast … I'm fine either way."

"Let me make something quick for us at least," Edward suggested and I nodded my agreement. We worked quietly together as we cooked, occasionally reaching out to touch each other.

It should have been relaxing, but my nerves about how the weekend would go grew. When we took a seat at the kitchen table, I only nibbled at the eggs and toast.

"You okay?" Edward asked softly, staring at me with a concerned expression when I pushed my plate away.

"Just anxious."

He leaned in and kissed my temple, his lips lingering there. "I know."

He didn't try to sugarcoat the situation or give me platitudes about it all working out. Instead, he held me, and it was exactly what I needed.

After we cleaned up the kitchen, we went upstairs so Edward could pack his bag for the weekend.

"Is this all right?" he asked, gesturing to the grey pants and black button-down he was holding.

"Yeah, you'll look great in that," I said honestly.

"I just want to make sure I don't look too old. I don't want to make this any worse than it has to be."

"You'll look like the man I love, no matter what you wear, and that's all that matters." I cupped Edward's cheek in my hand and smiled reassuringly at him. "If it's any consolation, it took me hours to pick out what I was going to wear before dinner with Maggie."

Edward cracked a smile. "I'm being ridiculous, aren't I?"

"Of course not. You are worrying too much, but I did the same damn thing."

"We're quite a pair, aren't we?"

"Roll up your sleeves or something if you're afraid you might look over-dressed, but I think you look fine."

He disappeared into the walk-in closet for a moment and returned with a pair of jeans in his hand.

"You do own jeans!" I said in surprise.

He chuckled as he tugged them on, zipped and buttoned them. "Did you think I didn't?"

"I wondered," I admitted, ogling him as he put on the button-down shirt, and neatly rolled up his sleeves. "I've never seen you wear them."

"I don't wear them often."

I grinned and grabbed his ass. "They look good on you."

He threw back his head and laughed. "Just wait until you see me in soccer gear."

I tilted my head to the side, imagining it. _Yum_. "I can't wait to see that, actually."

He finished packing and we headed out to Edward's car. When he held the door open for me, I realized that in the three months we'd been dating, this was the first time we'd ever been in the same vehicle. Hell, it was the first time we were going to be anywhere together that wasn't work or our homes. When I mentioned that to Edward, he nodded.

"Strange, isn't it?"

He backed out of the garage, and once he pulled out onto the street, he took my hand. I sank into the leather seats, luxuriating in the rich smell and whisper-quiet engine. My VW was only four years old and in good shape, but it was nothing like this.

"It's just amazing how different it will be once we're out at work," I commented.

Edward grinned at me. "I have so many plans for things I'd like to do with you."

I raised an eyebrow at him suggestively, and he shook his head. "Things _outside_ of the bedroom. I am looking forward to actually being able to take you out on a date."

"I'm looking forward to it, too," I admitted.

"You know, the hospital gala is the weekend after next, if you had started your new job already I would have asked you to go with me."

"I forgot that was coming up. It's graduation weekend anyway, so even if we could have gone together, I'll be busy."

"You're right. I hate that I won't be able to go."

"To the gala? We can go next year," I said without thinking.

"No, I meant that I was sorry I wouldn't be able to go to your graduation." Edward glanced over at me, and the expression in his eyes made me shiver. "But I love that you're planning for a year from now."

I flushed. "Really?"

"Absolutely. I have no intention of letting you go now that I've found you, and we certainly haven't worked this hard to be together to let it fall apart now."

"I feel the same way," I said huskily, swallowing hard at the promise in his words. Our relationship was growing deeper with each passing week.

I frowned when I realized what he'd said. "That is true that you can't come to graduation. That's disappointing. I hadn't really thought about it."

His thumb stroked across the back of my hand. "I feel ungrateful for complaining; you got the position and we only have to wait a few more weeks. But it's difficult to be so close and not be eager to have a public relationship. Plus, you'll only graduate once."

"I know." I shrugged. "But I could potentially graduate twice; I might get my Master's someday."

"That's true. Well, nothing would stop me from being there, then."

That would have been the perfect time for me to bring up my future with Edward. Clearly, we were both looking for a long-term relationship, but I still didn't know how he felt about getting married again. A part of me really wanted to ask him how he felt about the idea, but it seemed like a terrible time to bring it up when we'd be meeting my parents soon. If we found out we were on completely separate pages about marriage, it would only lead to tension and awkwardness. I pushed my question aside and changed the subject.

We spent the rest of the drive talking about how we planned to approach taking our relationship public. Neither of us wanted to make a big production of it, and Edward suggested that we begin by eating lunch together after I began my new position. I agreed that it sounded like a good way to start. After all, lunch was innocent enough, and although it might raise a few eyebrows and start the rumors flying, it was subtle enough that we wouldn't be accused of flaunting our relationship.

Between our conversation and giving Edward directions to my parents' home, I hardly had time to be nervous. It wasn't until he pulled in the driveway that my stomach twisted anxiously. Edward parked the car and turned it off before turning to me. He cradled my head in his hands, and he looked me in the eye. "I know you're worried, but I love you, and I am going to be right beside you."

"I know," I said hoarsely. "Thank you."

"I don't want to make your relationship with your parents any worse. I will do my best to be polite and calm, but if your father insults you, I hope you know I won't hesitate to stand up for you. Either way, if it gets to be too much, just say the word and we'll leave."

I nodded and pressed my forehead to his for a moment, needing to center myself. "I love you, Edward," I whispered.

"I love you, too, Bella."

He pulled back just far enough to kiss me briefly, and his thumbs caressed my jaw. My stomach fluttered nervously as we got out of the car. As we walked up the driveway hand in hand, I looked closely at my parents' house, seeing it through new eyes. It was a pretty, two-story place with tan siding and a cranberry red door. It was nicely landscaped and normally gave off a warm, welcoming feel. I had fond memories of growing up there. This was the first time I had ever dreaded coming home.

I knocked on the door rather than entering with the key I still had. I squeezed Edward's hand tightly as the door swung open and my father's scowling gaze was revealed.

"Come inside," he said gruffly.

Once we were inside the house, Edward helped me out of my coat, and I caught my father's stern, assessing gaze as he watched Edward. My mother gently pushed her way past my father and hugged me. "I'm glad you came, Bella."

"Thanks, Mom." I took a deep breath. "I'd like you to meet my boyfriend, Edward Cullen. Edward, this is my mother, Renee Swan."

"Please, call me Renee," she said warmly and shook the hand Edward offered her.

"It's very nice to meet you," Edward said sincerely. She took our coats from him, and he turned to face my father. I felt my stomach drop at the glare he leveled at Edward.

"Dad, this is Edward. Edward, my father, Charles Swan," I managed to choke out.

"It's nice to meet you, sir," Edward said politely, holding out his hand. My father hesitated, but reached out after a moment. I was pleased to see that there wasn't any of the macho posturing I'd expected on his part. It was a brief, polite handshake.

"Edward," was all he said and I repressed the overwhelming urge to roll my eyes at my father for his pig-headedness.

"We're glad you could both make it today," my mother said. "Why don't we go into the living room and talk? Would either of you like something to drink? Coffee, hot mulled cider, water?"

"Water would be good," I said, my throat already parched with nerves.

"I'll take the same," Edward said. He put his hand on my lower back as we followed my mother into the cozy living room. The action didn't escape my father's notice. He glowered at Edward, and I sighed internally. _What is it going to take to get him to listen and get to know Edward before he assumes the worst about him?_ I wondered.

Edward and my father took seats, Edward doing his best to look calm and my father glaring at him like he was trying to bore holes through his head with his eyes. My mother and I exchanged glances, and I hurriedly sat beside Edward on the couch, threading our fingers together and resting our joined hands on Edward's thigh. I refused to avoid touching Edward just because my father was uncomfortable with it, and frankly, I needed the reassurance. My mother brought in water and then brought in mugs of coffee for my father and herself. Once she took a seat, we were all silent for a long moment. Tension filled the room as we all glanced at each other nervously. I wet my lips, not knowing what I should say.

Edward spoke first. "Sir, I know you don't like me, and I understand your reasons why, but I hope that you'll give me a chance to prove that I love your daughter."

My father huffed and narrowed his eyes. "How do I know you aren't just having some fling, and you'll move on and leave her to deal with the consequences?"

"Well, until you get to know me, you _can't_ know that for sure. But for the record, that is not at all the type of man I am. I was faithfully married for seventeen years and never once strayed. I dated a total of three women after I was divorced. Two decided they weren't comfortable with the fact I have a daughter, so we ended things. The third is Bella." His voice grew firm, bordering on the edge of irritation. "I love Bella, and this isn't some fling for me."

I squeezed Edward's hand tightly, and he continued, his voice a little softer. "Believe me, I understand how difficult this is for you. I have a daughter, and I can imagine how uncomfortable I'd be if I were in your shoes. But I'd like to think that when Maggie's an adult, I will have done a good enough job raising her that I'll trust her judgment to know that she'll make the right decision."

My father scoffed. "How can this possibly be the right decision? How can it be better for Bella to be with you than some guy her own age—who's never been married, doesn't have any kids, and isn't her goddamn boss?"

Edward spoke calmly. "I assure you, I had the same concerns. Some days, I very much wish that Bella and I were the same age, met on campus, and had a more typical relationship. But we didn't. Nothing will change that. And frankly, I'm not sure I would have realized what an amazing person she is without my past experiences. I don't think I would have appreciated her nearly as much."

My mother smiled and nodded at me briefly. _She_ liked Edward at least.

Edward continued. "This is Bella's choice. What do you expect me to do? Leave her because someone else might be better? You don't do that when you love someone as much as I love your daughter. All I _can_ do is love her, treat her well, do my best to mitigate everything we are dealing with, and feel damn lucky that someone like her loves me back."

I finally spoke up. "You don't have to like it, Dad. Just accept the fact that Edward isn't going anywhere, and try to get to know him a little. Please. For me?"

He nodded grudgingly and looked over at me. "I just worry that you're going to get hurt."

Edward added, "Sir, with all due respect, right now, _you're_ the one hurting her. She has been very upset since Thanksgiving."

"I don't like fighting like this, Dad. I love you, but this is my life and my decision. Edward is worth it. I got the job in Marketing; all we have to do is make it a few more weeks, and then there will be nothing anyone can do."

"Bella, what if someone finds out that your relationship began before then? Are you really willing to have your entire workplace know that you were sleeping with your boss?"

"If that happens, Edward and I will deal with it together. It would be uncomfortable; I know that, and I'm willing to risk it. Edward and I are in this together—no matter what happens, we'll make it work."

He nodded and leaned back. "I can see that you're both determined. I don't like it, but I guess I don't have much say in it, do I?"

"No, you don't," I said flatly.

"I have to admit, I still have my doubts, but I want to be wrong about this, I really do. Prove me wrong, Edward."

He stood up and Edward did, too. He put his hand out for Edward to shake again, and although it wasn't exactly a warm welcome, at least it was progress. Edward shook his hand firmly. "I will, sir."

I sighed with relief, and Edward sat down and took my hand again. My father turned to me. "Can we talk alone, Bella?"

"Sure, let's go out on the porch." I remembered endless hours spent sitting on the porch talking with my dad when I was a kid. I hoped that whatever he had to say might be easier if we were out there. Maybe the memories would soften his hard-headedness.

Edward squeezed my hand when I got up to leave, and I heard my mother asking him a few questions about Maggie while we bundled up against the cold. The air was crisp when we stepped outside, and I took a seat on the creaking porch swing. I was silent, waiting for him to speak. He didn't say anything for several long moments, and I shoved my gloved hands in the pockets of my jacket. He stood by the railing, looking out at the yard, silent.

"I'm sorry," he finally said gruffly. "Whatever I thought about Edward, you were right, I should have trusted you."

"It _hurt_ when you said those things." I found my eyes welling up, and I sniffled, trying to hold back the tears.

He turned to face me. "I was really out of line at Thanksgiving."

"Yeah, you were." He took a seat on the swing beside me and put an arm around my shoulder.

"I'm sorry. I really mean that." He was silent for a long moment. "Your mom was right. I don't like the idea of you growing up, kid. In my head, you're still about twelve with knobby knees and freckles, and you think boys are kinda gross. I wasn't ready to think of you being an adult, a woman who could be in a relationship with a man old enough to have a teenage daughter."

"And now?"

"I don't love it, but I'm gonna step back and let you make your own decisions. I see that I was wrong about him using you," he said reluctantly.

"I just can't believe you thought I would _ever_ be with someone who treated me like that."

"I wasn't exactly thinking straight," he admitted. "All I could see was my little girl getting hurt."

"But I'm not your little girl anymore," I reminded him gently.

"I know. I'm working on that part." My father sighed heavily. "A few months ago, we had to investigate a case at the high school. A teacher was accused of having an inappropriate relationship with a student. I know it's not the same thing. You are an adult, but I just saw red. I kept picturing you as the poor, scared girl I had to take a statement from."

I nodded and swallowed hard. "I'm sure that was awful, and I feel terrible for that girl, but I'm not _her_, Dad, not by a long shot. I'm an adult woman, and I would never let someone take advantage of me like that. You and Mom taught me to stand up for myself, but you also taught me to go after what I want. And I want Edward to be a part of my life."

"I can see that now," he said gruffly.

"He would never have used me, and he has treated me with nothing but love and respect since we began dating."

My father sighed heavily. "I'm beginning to realize that, too. Edward wouldn't have called me and come here if he were just using you. Plus, what he says is reflected in his body language."

"Edward's a good guy. If you gave him half a chance to prove it to you, you might even like him. If you could only see what kind of man he is, you'd feel completely differently about our relationship."

"I hope so. I have to believe that you wouldn't be with him if he was anything like I imagined. I'm not thrilled about it though, and I hope you're careful. I'd hate to see you screw up your career, especially over some guy."

"If he weren't worth it, I never would have risked it. But I love him too much to give up because it isn't going to be easy. Besides, we're almost in the clear."

"Just be cautious; don't get sloppy now that you're so close."

"Is that your advice as Police Chief?" I teased him, and he cracked a smile.

"It's my advice as your father."

"We'll be extra careful," I promised.

"Look, Bella, I love you, and I want you to be happy. If that's with Edward, well, I'll learn to live with it. Who knows, maybe I'll even like him some day," he said grudgingly.

I leaned over and hugged him, smelling the mingled scents of laundry detergent and the woodsy aftershave he wore. "Thanks. That means a lot."

He held me close for a moment and kissed the top of my head. "I'm sorry. I wish I could take back the things I said before."

"I know. I wish you could, too." I couldn't promise that I'd be able to forget the hurtful things he said to me, but I would do my best to forgive them. It would take a while, but my father and I could move past this.

"Congratulations about the job, and being done with school," he said after a moment. "Your mother and I are very proud of that. You've worked hard, Bella."

"Thank you. I'm really excited about starting the new job."

My father and I talked for a while longer before heading back into the house. My mother had made hot mulled cider, and she and Edward were drinking it and eating cookies in the dining room. She grabbed my arm and tugged me into the kitchen with the pretense of getting more cider. "How did it go?" she asked quietly.

"We're okay. He apologized. It still stings, but we'll be fine."

"Good." She hugged me. "I don't think I've ever been so pissed with your father."

"Me either." I turned away to get a couple of mugs down from the cupboard. "What do you think of Edward?"

"I like him. He seems to care for you very deeply."

I smiled. "He does. I know what we're dealing with is difficult, but he's good for me. I've never been happier."

"Good." She squeezed my arm. "He's sure handsome, too. That jaw—" she pretended to fan herself, "—and that _smile_. He just lights up when he talks about you. That man is head over heels in love with you."

"The feeling is mutual." I smiled at my mother, and she leaned forward and cupped my cheek in her hand for a moment, something she'd done since I was a child.

We carried the mugs of cider into the dining room, and both my father and Edward had identical looks of discomfort on their faces as they attempted to make small talk. "Honestly, sir, I don't watch much football," Edward said.

My father sighed. "Well, what do you watch?"

"Soccer, when I have the time. I coach my daughter, Maggie's, intramural team, and I played for Portland when I was in college."

"Hmmph." My dad didn't look terribly impressed, but at least they were talking.

I slid into the seat next to Edward, and he gave me a relieved smile. I could see the tension in the way he held himself, and I knew this had to be difficult for him, but I loved that he was trying so hard for me. We all made small-talk as we ate and drank, and I was half-tempted to grab a bottle of spiced rum and dump it in all of our mugs just to loosen everyone up. My mother, Edward, and I carried most of the conversation, but I could see that my father was at least making an attempt.

After several hours of awkward conversation, I decided we all needed a break. "I think we're going to head out and check into our hotel."

"Oh, you don't have to do that," my mother protested. "You can stay in the guest room."

My father frowned, and I shook my head no at her suggestion; I wanted a good night's sleep and to be able to make love to Edward without worrying about anything around us. Staying here would have made us both miserable and anxious. Plus, I had a feeling my father would throw a fit about us sleeping in the same bed.

"We already have a reservation," I said, shooting another glance at my mother and hoping she'd understand the real reason. She nodded at me with a look of understanding, and I let out a sigh of relief.

"You work today, right, Dad?" I asked.

"Yeah." He glanced at his watch. "I head to the station in about an hour."

"We were thinking maybe we could come over again tomorrow for a little while."

"We could do brunch," my mother suggested, and I nodded gratefully.

"That sounds nice."

We said our goodbyes, and I was glad to see that my father offered Edward another handshake. This time, it was accompanied by a much less stern expression. We were _finally_ getting somewhere.

We made plans to come back the following morning at eleven, and Edward helped me into my coat. I finally let out the breath I'd been holding when the door closed behind us.

"Well, that went better than I thought it might," Edward said as he held the car door open for me.

I nodded my agreement. "It did, actually."

"What did you and your father talk about outside?" he asked when he pulled out onto the street.

I gave him the gist of the conversation and he nodded. "I'm glad to hear he apologized."

"Me, too. And I'm glad he's going to give you a chance."

I told him about the case my father had mentioned, and Edward sighed. "Honestly, I'm not sure I'd be a lot better if it were Maggie."

"If we're still together then, I will make _sure_ you do better."

He grinned at me. "Well, I'll have to do my best to make sure you are still around then."

I squeezed his hand and felt the lingering tension being to melt away.

* * *

**Notes: **So, they had a chance for a quick and dirty lemon to celebrate her new job, and they made it to Silverton. What did you think of the talk with Bella's parents? What about Charlie's apology? Would you have forgiven him if you were Bella? And remember, it's only Saturday after noon, what do you think might happen on the rest of their weekend away?

I have a Facebook group called Discordia's Library. If you'd like to join, add me as a friend on FB, and let me know you'd like to be added to the group.

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	25. Chapter 24 - The Silverton Inn

**Notes:** Huge thanks to my pre-readers: Grnidgirl, ShellShock, and Jules Twifanawesomesox; my beta: Alice's White Rabbit; and my Validation beta: Totoro

I know a lot of you are really worried about major disaster heading Edward and Bella's way. Try to relax. There will be bumps before the end of the story, but it won't be a major disaster and it's nothing they can't handle.

* * *

**Chapter 24: The Silverton Inn**

The hotel Edward had made a reservation at was a pretty place just outside of town called the Silverton Inn. We checked in, found our way to our room, and settled in. "This is really nice," I said, holding the door for Edward as he came inside and deposited our bags at the foot of the king size bed.

"I'm glad you like it."

I locked the door behind us and took a seat on the bed, looking up at Edward. "So, what would you like to do for the rest of the day?"

He looked down at me, smiling, and dragged his fingertips softly against my cheek. "Well, we're an hour out of Portland; I think we're safe to go out to dinner. What do you say? Can I take you out on our first official date?"

I melted at the question and the hopeful look on his face. "I would love that, Edward."

"It's only noon now, though. Would you like to go somewhere to grab lunch?" he asked.

"Sure. Hey," I added as a thought occurred to me, "what do you think about meeting my friends Rosalie and Emmett? We could see if they wanted to get together for lunch."

"That sounds great. I'd like to meet your friends."

I dug in my purse for my phone. "Let me call them now."

"I'll make a reservation for dinner while you do. Any suggestions? I'm not familiar with this area."

"What did you have in mind for dinner?"

Edward gave me an amused look. "Well, something nice. I'm not about to waste the opportunity to take you out on our first date by going to a pizza joint."

"Hmm," I mulled it over for a minute. "Probably the Silver Grille Café then. They have great local food and a nice wine list."

"Have you been on a date there before?"

I snorted. "Hardly, but my parents did take me there for my high school graduation."

"I'll check it out then. Does seven o'clock sound good?"

"Sure." I finally unearthed my phone from the bottom of my purse and called Rose.

"Bella!" Rose answered excitedly. "How are you?"

"Doing better. The talk with my father went okay. I wouldn't say he's completely sold on the idea of me being with Edward, but he's being polite, and he apologized for what he said."

"Oh, good, I'm glad to hear it."

I glanced over at Edward, watching him wander around the room on the phone. He looked over at me with a grin as I settled back onto the bed. His eyes flicked over my body and I felt my breath catch at the way he was looking at me.

Rose's voice broke me out of my daze. "Bella?"

"Sorry. Uh, the reason I called is that we decided to stay in town until tomorrow. I was wondering if you and Em wanted to meet us for lunch today."

"I'd love that! Emmett works the night shift, so we should be able to swing it."

We figured out the details, and Edward was just hanging up his phone when I ended my call with Rose.

"We have reservations for seven at The Silver Grille," he said, walking over to the bed.

I smiled at him and grabbed his hand, tugging him down onto the bed. "Emmett and Rose are free and we're going to meet them in about an hour."

"How long does it take to get there?" he asked, brushing his lips over my neck.

I let my head fall back and I moaned quietly. "Twenty minutes."

"Mmm, plenty of time then," he replied before he captured my lips with his.

**~BtBR~**

We met my friends at a small restaurant right on the river. They arrived just a few minutes after us, and I hugged them both enthusiastically. Their greeting to Edward was warm and welcoming and conversation flowed easily once we were all seated at a table overlooking the water.

"How do you like Silverton so far, Edward?" Emmett asked.

"I like it," he said taking a sip of his beer. "It's a nice little town. Honestly, though, I'm just happy to be anywhere that Bella and I can be out in public."

"I'm sure," Emmett said, nodding sympathetically. I smiled at Rose and she smiled back, knowing how pleased I was that Edward and Emmett seemed to be getting along so far. Emmett had come a long way from the seventeen-year-old boy who had scared potential dates of mine in high school.

'Holy hot' Rose mouthed to me and I giggled and rolled my eyes at her. Edward's attractiveness was not news to me.

We ordered our lunches and fell into easy conversation. I had completely forgotten that Emmett had played soccer for a couple of years in high school, and while he and Edward bonded over that, Rose and I discussed her baby shower. "You're due at the beginning of February, right?" I asked her.

"Yep, the eighth."

"How do you feel about having the shower toward the beginning of January? Once the holidays are over, but not so close to your due date that we have to worry about you being incredibly uncomfortable."

Rose chuckled and smoothed her hands over her much more noticeable belly. With just over two months to go, she looked incredible. "That sounds good."

We made up a tentative guest list, and Rose promised to send me an email with the names and addresses so I could send out invitations. "Do you want me to have it here in Silverton so it's easier for you to get there?" I asked. "Or, at my place in Portland?"

"Portland is fine," Rose said.

"Hmm, my apartment is so small though. I don't know if we can comfortably fit a dozen people," I said skeptically. "Maybe we _should_ have it here in Silverton. We could have it at my parents' house. I know my mother would love that."

"You can have it at my house," Edward offered. Rose and I both turned to him in surprise. "I have more space than I really know what to do with. My mother used to love entertaining in that house."

"It is really well set up for that," I admitted. "You sure you don't mind?"

"Of course not." Edward dragged his thumb down my cheek before turning to smile at Rose. "You've been a great friend to Bella throughout all of this. It's the least I can do."

"Thank you," she said. "That's very generous."

"I'm hoping Bella is going to be a part of my life for a very long time," Edward said quietly. "And that means you will be as well."

A lump rose in my throat, and I reached for his hand, squeezing it tightly.

"Speaking of this baby business," Emmett said. "I have to ask. Edward, any advice for a father-to-be?"

Edward chuckled and sat back in his chair, draping his arm around my shoulders. "It's been a long time."

"Yeah, but Bella said you pretty much raised your daughter on your own because your ex-wife was a bitch."

I closed my eyes. _There is the moose with no verbal filter I grew up with_, I thought. Father-to-be or not, I should have known Emmett's tact only lasted for so long. "Emmett, that is _not_ what I said."

I gave Edward an apologetic look, but he just shrugged and squeezed my shoulder. "That's not an entirely inaccurate description of the situation, though. I did do the majority of caring for Maggie when she was small. I think you're way ahead of where I was already though, Emmett. You have a wife who is excited for the baby, and I am sure you two will do great together."

Emmett looked crushed. "That's it? I thought you'd have some magic words."

Edward chuckled and shook his head. "There are no magic words. You learn it as you go. I will say this though; you need about twelve times as many diapers as you think you will, and try to get all the sleep you can because it's never enough." He grew more serious, and there was a faraway wistful look on his face. "And appreciate the time you have with them when they're small. It goes faster than you can imagine."

For just a moment, I could imagine Edward with a child—our child—and my breath caught in my throat. We really did need to talk about our future more, because not only did I have no idea how Edward felt about marriage, I had no idea how he felt about children. Would he want another child?

Rosalie said something to me, and I snapped out of the daze I'd been in. Yes, Edward and I did need to discuss our future in more depth, but for right now, we had plenty of other issues to tackle first.

We had a leisurely lunch with Emmett and Rose, lingering at the table to talk for a long time after the food was eaten. Eventually, they had to excuse themselves so Emmett could get home and sleep before his shift.

After we left the restaurant, Edward and I walked through town as I pointed out various landmarks, and we stopped at a few shops. "Silverton is a really pretty town in the spring, summer, and fall," I told him as we paused beside a nearly deserted park. "This time of year isn't so great. I'll bring you back in better weather."

"I'd like that," Edward said. I leaned in and pressed my cheek against the shoulder of his black wool coat. The air was cold, and although it had been misty all morning, the skies were growing darker and the clouds heavier. I shivered, my own coat feeling inadequate against the cold dampness.

"Want to head back to the hotel?" Edward asked. "We could relax for a little bit before dinner."

"Sounds good," I agreed.

Back in our room, I took a nap while Edward read. The stress of the preceding weeks had taken its toll, and with no obligations and a chance to be with Edward, I was relaxed enough to sleep deeply. I woke up after about an hour and stretched, feeling well-rested and content. He glanced over at me, closing his tablet case. I had been curled up with my head on his bicep, my nose buried against his chest, and my arm thrown across his stomach. His arm was wrapped tightly around me, and I realized he'd been reading with one hand, his tablet propped against his thigh.

"Sorry." I yawned and stretched and he set the tablet on the nightstand. "I didn't mean to make it difficult for you to read."

He shrugged and shifted onto his side so we were face to face. "I like having you close. How did you sleep?"

"It was a much needed nap. I feel great."

He brushed my hair off my cheek and placed a lingering kiss on my lips. "Moments like this are one of the things I missed the most about not having weekends together."

I nodded in agreement. "The sex is fantastic, and believe me, I missed it, but not being able to see you or spend time in your arms was what I missed the most."

He cradled my cheek in his hand and kissed me deeply. "Me, too."

We kissed for a while longer, just relishing being together. After a while, we got up to get ready for dinner. Neither of us had packed anything very formal, but I had thrown a skirt and sweater into my suitcase that would suffice. The restaurant was nice, but didn't have a strict dress code. Edward wore slacks and a button down. Freshly shaven and smelling like cologne, he was so handsome it nearly hurt. He helped me into my coat, and I took his arm as we left the hotel room.

"It seems hard to believe we've been together for over three months, and this is the first date I'm taking you out on," he murmured as we stepped into the lobby.

"True," I agreed, "but I wouldn't trade it for the world. I think it made our relationship deeper than it would have been otherwise."

He nodded. "Still, I'm grateful for the opportunity now, and I'm looking forward to being able to take you out in a few weeks."

"Me, too." I squeezed his bicep, and he ushered me out of the hotel doors.

The food at the Silver Grille Café was wonderful, and so was the atmosphere, but it was the relief at being able to be out together on a date that made the evening so perfect. If we got any disapproving or curious looks from anyone noticing the age difference, I certainly didn't notice. All I could see was Edward; the way he smiled at me, the light in his eyes, the way his fingers felt threaded through mine.

I mentally went through the list of obstacles we still had to face, and they were rapidly dwindling. Finally, our lives were coming together like we'd been planning, and it left me with a relaxed, content feeling.

We split a bottle of wine and lingered over coffee as we talked. We made plans for things we'd like to do together in the future and places Edward wanted to take me. He also brought up the holidays. "What do you think about having a small holiday party right before Christmas?"

"At your place?" I asked.

"Yeah, I was thinking you could meet some of my family, and if your father is feeling less like killing me by tomorrow, we could invite your parents. Maybe we could both invite some friends." He reached across the table and took my hand, rubbing his thumb against my palm.

"That sounds really nice." I squeezed his hand. "I love the idea of our friends and family getting to know each other."

"Me, too."

After dinner, we headed back to the hotel. Edward paused outside the door to our hotel room and tugged me close. "Is this where I steal a kiss and leave you for the night?"

I chuckled and pulled his head down so his lips were just inches from mine. "No, this is where you take me inside, and we put that big bed and privacy to good use."

"Yes, I think I like that better." He brushed his lips over mine and fished the key card from his pocket.

"You know, even if we had gone on a typical first date when we started seeing each other, we probably would have ended up in bed together that night anyway," I pointed out.

Edward chuckled as he let us into the room, and he locked the door behind us. "Somehow, I think you're right."

I set my purse on the dresser, and he helped me out of my coat. I lifted my sweater over my head and let it fall onto the chair by the bed. "You're just too sexy for your own good," I teased.

Edward grinned and stepped closer to me. "_I_ am? I think you have that all wrong. _You're_ the one I'd describe that way."

I wiggled out of my skirt, and it joined my sweater. "Yes, definitely you," Edward said huskily.

I wet my lips and gently pushed him down onto the bed. His eyes never left mine as I dropped to my knees in front of him and unzipped his pants.

"It's been too long since I've done this," I said as I pulled his cock out. He was growing hard already, and slow strokes of my tongue over his shaft made him ready for me.

His hand tangled in my hair as I lowered my mouth over him. "Yes, it has," he said breathlessly.

I worked him over with my mouth, and he didn't hesitate to guide me. It was such a far cry from when I'd first given him a blow job. Then, he was tentative and guilty-feeling for even enjoying it—I loved his confidence now. His fingers tightened in my hair as I swirled my tongue over the head before dropping back down over him. When he came, it was with a harsh, strangled groan, his grip tightening on my head. When I finally released him, he stood abruptly, lifting me to my feet and depositing me on the bed.

His eyes gleamed as he knelt beside me, reaching behind me to unhook my bra before sliding my panties down over my hips. "Where's the massage oil?" he murmured.

"My toiletry bag … it's on the counter in the bathroom," I gasped. He stripped out of the rest of his clothes and disappeared into the bathroom for a moment. He returned with the bottle of oil, a small towel, and the vibrator I'd bought a few weeks ago.

"Roll over," he said huskily. I did and tucked my hands under my forehead so I could rest comfortably face down.

He knelt so he was straddling my thighs. His slick hands met my back, and I moaned quietly. His hands were strong and sure as he kneaded at the tight muscles. Edward might not have had the training of the women who had given us our couple's massage, but there was no one I'd rather have touching me. "How does that feel?" he asked quietly.

"Heavenly." I groaned as he hit a knot in my shoulder. "Don't ever stop."

He chuckled and continued to work out all of the aches. I felt boneless and languid when he finished my back, the lingering tension seeping out of me. I moaned loudly when he moved to my arms and legs, his fingers moving over me with smooth, even strokes.

After nearly every inch of me had been massaged, I felt the change in his touch. It went from soothing to heated, and I groaned as his hands slid up my thighs purposefully, and he kissed his way up and down my back.

"My turn," he said lowly, and my pleasure-fogged brain struggled to understand what he was talking about. He gently flipped me over, and I looked up at him. I wet my lips at the sight of the man hovering over me, his green eyes intent on mine. I breathed shallowly as his hands traced over my body, his palms sliding over my legs as he settled on the floor and pushed my thighs wide open.

"I've missed tasting you," he murmured against my inner thigh, sending a shiver through my whole body. "I love the way you fall apart and the sound of my name when you come."

I let out a gasp as his mouth met my pussy, and I shuddered with pleasure as he began to lick. I threaded my hands through his hair and let my hips move to meet his mouth. His movements were slow and teasing, bringing me to the edge and back again several times before I finally came. I came with two of his fingers curling up inside me, and his tongue flicking at my clit. I whimpered his name as the pleasure streaked through me, leaving me trembling on the bed.

He crawled up over me, and I pulled his lips down to mine, tasting myself on him. "Thank you," I said, my heart still hammering in my chest.

"You're welcome. You know how much I love doing that." He kissed down my jaw and to my neck, trailing his lips down it before nipping lightly at the skin with his teeth. His hands skimmed down my body as he sat back. "I want you to come again. Can you try?"

I laughed softly. "I doubt it'll be difficult."

"Good. I want you to come _hard_."

I shivered at his words, and the way he said them, more of an order than a wish. He pressed my thighs open as he slid down the bed and settled between my legs. He kissed and nipped at my inner thighs before reaching for the vibrator. I heard the low hum as he turned it on, and I held my breath in anticipation.

He brushed it across my thigh first before slowly dragging it to my lips. It was so different having someone else use it on me, and I gasped as he circled it around my clit. "Tell me what you like."

"That's good," I said breathlessly. "Really good."

Two of his fingers on his other hand sank into me. I clenched around him and he brushed his lips against my inner thigh. "What else?"

Unsure of how to put it into words, I grabbed his hand and guided the vibrator so it was cupped against my clit, not touching it directly, but stimulating the area all around it. "Like this."

My arousal combined with the remaining oil on my skin allowing the toy to slide over me effortlessly. I let go of his hand once he had the rhythm and gripped the sheets, feeling the pleasure build and build. His fingers began to move inside me, and I cried out.

His voice was low and husky. "As much as I liked hearing you do this over the phone, I think I enjoy watching as I use it on you even more."

A wave of pleasure streaked through me, and I arched my back, pressing more firmly against the vibrator. "Ohh," I moaned.

I felt Edward smile against my skin as he kissed my inner thigh again. "Just like that, Bella."

He pulled the vibrator away from my clit and replaced it with his mouth. His tongue was hard and insistent against me, lapping and sucking me until another wave of pleasure washed over me. He switched to the vibrator again and then alternated between the two until I was sobbing. I writhed on the bed under him, clenching the sheets tightly as I shook with an orgasm that hit me so hard it felt like my bones would shatter.

"Ohhhh, _God_," I gasped out before weakly pushing his hand away from me when I couldn't take another second of it. I shuddered and panted harshly as he turned the toy off and slid up the bed. My thighs were quivering when he wrapped his arms around me, and I snuggled against his chest, trying to calm my racing heart.

"Good?" he asked, and I let out a choked laugh against his skin.

"Yeah, it was good." His hands slid up and down my body, molding me against him as my strained breathing finally began to even out. "I really hope I don't have to get up any time soon, I don't think I could walk."

He chuckled and kissed my temple. "That's exactly what I was going for."

I tilted my head back to look him in the eye. "I feel amazing; thank you."

He captured my lips with his and kissed me deeply and thoroughly before drawing back. "I just want to take your mind off of the rest of what we're dealing with. Tonight, is about the two of us, nothing else."

I snuggled closer to him. "At this rate, I'll be lucky if I can remember my name by tomorrow morning."

We took a short break to eat the dessert we'd brought home from the restaurant. Still naked, I sat curled up in Edward's lap as he fed me double chocolate cake with raspberries. I giggled when a piece fell from the fork onto my breast and his eyes gleamed. He set the plate down on the nightstand and turned me to face him. His eyes didn't leave mine as his head dropped down and he flicked the crumb off me with his tongue. I moaned and gripped his hair with my hand. He kept licking, long after the chocolate was gone, and then moved to my shoulder. I giggled again as he hit a ticklish spot, and he lifted his head to grin at me. "I don't hear you do that enough."

"Do what?" I brushed his hair off his forehead.

He sighed, his smile fading. "Laugh."

I nodded. I _had _been more serious than usual lately with the stress I'd been dealing with.

"That's another of my goals," he added.

"To make me laugh more?"

"Yes," he said simply, "and to make you happy."

"I _am_ happy, Edward," I reassured him, "and tonight has been wonderful. I love you so much."

I leaned in to kiss him, tasting the chocolate from the cake on his lips. Our kisses grew heated quickly, and we shifted so we were both lying on the bed side by side. We kissed hungrily as our hands roamed each other's body, desperation quickly taking over.

Edward settled onto his back and pulled me on top of him, my breath catching at the feel of him against my still-sensitive flesh. His hands settled onto my hips as I sank down over his cock. His body rumbled with a low groan as I braced my hand on his chest and began to move. His fingers gripped my hips tightly as I rocked over him, our skin becoming slick with sweat. His head fell back on the pillow, and his lips parted when I shifted and he slid a little deeper.

"Jesus," he gasped, his eyelids fluttering closed. Our pace sped up, both of us working together to bring each other pleasure, my hands splayed on his stomach, his cupping my hips.

He sat up abruptly, pressing his palm against the middle of my back so we were face to face, the look in his eyes intense and focused as he gazed at me. "I still feel like the luckiest man alive to be with you." His voice was a little breathless and strained, as if he was fighting to keep it steady.

The pace of our movement slowed, and my head fell back when a deeper thrust sent a wave of pleasure through me. "Then I'm the luckiest woman alive."

His hand moved to the back of my head and tilted it up so he could kiss me deeply. I gripped his shoulder as I ground down over him. His cock hit just the right spot, and I let out a gasping cry, my orgasm tearing through me and catching me by surprise. I shuddered over and over, until I was weak and limp on top of him, boneless and sated with pleasure.

His hands moved over my slippery skin, holding me to him possessively. "I love you," he murmured against my lips. "I love you, Bella. Christ, I love you so much."

"I love you, too." I gasped as he shifted our bodies so I was pinned under him. He was still hard inside of me and he threaded our fingers together as he sank deeper into me. I shuddered, so utterly overwhelmed by the pleasure that I could hardly think straight.

I clutched at his back as he thrust into me, setting a deep, even pace. His hair was darkened from sweat, his lips parted and his eyes locked on mine. There was something so arousing about just watching him; it was impossible to tear my eyes away.

I had already come several times; this was about his pleasure now. He let go of my hands and braced himself on the bed. I gripped him tightly, my nails digging into his skin as they slid down his back. I felt him shudder against me, and with a few more deep, hard thrusts he came, a hoarse cry echoing in the room. His face contorted into an expression of pained pleasure, and I felt his arms tremble on either side of my head.

He let out one more low groan before dipping his head to kiss me roughly. He dropped down over me, rolling us a little to the side so he wasn't crushing me into the bed. I wound myself around him, needing him even closer.

"You are everything to me," he whispered against my lips and I felt a tear slip from the corner of my eye as I whispered it back to him.

**~BtBR~**

In the morning, I awoke in Edward's arms with a smile on my face, feeling hopeful about the way brunch might go. We showered together and packed our things before checking out of the hotel. The weather was dreary and drizzly—standard for early December in Portland—but I couldn't stop smiling.

This time when the front door to my parents' house swung open, the welcome was much friendlier. I hugged both of my parents, and the greeting my father gave Edward was less cold. He wasn't effusively welcoming, but it boded well for how brunch would go. My mother greeted Edward with a hug, and we told them about our lunch with Emmett and Rose and going out to dinner the night before.

"Silverton is a nice town," Edward said. "I like it."

My father nodded. "It is. We like living here."

We went into the kitchen while my mother chatted excitedly about some of the town's festivals and events. Edward listened attentively while my father poured himself a cup of coffee. I smiled when he poured a second one and held it out to Edward.

"Coffee?" he asked gruffly.

Edward took it. "Thank you."

"Sugar and creamer are over there." He nodded toward the countertop where they were sitting, but Edward shook his head.

"I drink it black."

My father only nodded, but he gave Edward a somewhat friendlier glance. He was a coffee purist himself.

Edward sipped the coffee. "This is very good, sir. Thank you."

My father cleared his throat. "You don't have to keep calling me sir, you can call me Chief Swan."

This time it was my mother who cleared her throat. "Or Charlie," he offered. "You could call me Charlie."

Edward's lips turned up at the corners, and I tried to stifle a laugh. "Charlie then."

My dad huffed, clearly not quite comfortable with it, but he didn't complain.

"Brunch is just about ready," my mother said cheerfully. "Bella, will you help me set the table?"

"Sure," I agreed. I followed her into the dining room, and we worked together to get the table set. She glanced at me out of the corner of her eye several times, and I laughed self-consciously.

"What?"

She paused and set down the stack of plates she had just pulled out of the sideboard. "You look so happy today."

"I am. I feel like things are turning around for us," I said.

She squeezed my hand. "I hope you know that, while I may have had some reservations about your relationship with Edward, I can see how deeply you care for each other."

I swallowed past the lump in my throat. "Thank you, Mom."

She leaned in to speak quietly to me. "Even your father grudgingly admitted he thought Edward was a decent guy."

I smiled. "I'm glad. It's a huge relief to not be fighting with him anymore."

"I know."

She raised her voice and changed the subject, asking how Rose and Emmett were doing, which we discussed while we set the table. Edward and my father were talking—somewhat awkwardly—about the weather when we went back into the kitchen. Conversation grew easier as we brought food from the kitchen to the dining room and took our seats. My mother was brilliant at smoothing over awkward situations.

Food was passed around the table, and we all eagerly dug in. Not only were her baked goods incredible, but my mother's breakfasts were out of this world. Baked French toast with hot maple syrup, blueberry sausage from the local butcher, and fresh squeezed orange juice were some of my favorites.

My mother asked about books we had read recently, and I turned to Edward. "What were you reading yesterday while I took a nap?"

"Oh, it's called _Team of Rivals: The Political Genius of Abraham Lincoln,_ it's very interesting." He took a bite of his French toast, and I saw my father give him a surprised look.

"You like the Civil War?"

Edward nodded. "I do. History and biographies in general, but particularly the Civil War. I've done quite a bit of reading on the subject."

My father's eyes lit up. "I am part of the Northwest Civil War Council. We do Civil War re-enactments."

"Really? That must be interesting," Edward said. "You've probably done a great deal of reading then."

"I have. I've never read the book you're reading though, is it any good?"

My mother and I grinned at each other as the conversation took off, my father telling Edward all about his re-enactment and Edward asking thoughtful, intelligent questions. I dropped my hand to Edward's knee and squeezed, wanting him to know how pleased I was at how well he was doing impressing my father. I saw a small smile lift the corners of his mouth as he acknowledged it.

_Who knew the Civil War would be the ice-breaker between my father and my boyfriend? _I mused. Whatever it was, I was happy that they'd found something they had in common.

Neither my mother nor I could get a word in edgewise, even if we'd known half of what they were talking about; so with a shrug, we began discussing the books that we'd been reading. They were still talking about the Civil War when my mother and I had moved on to discussing the menu for Rose's shower and plans for graduation the following weekend.

My attention was drawn back to Edward and my father toward the end of our meal when Edward spoke. "Yes, my friend Jasper is quite the military history buff as well. He was the one who recommended _Team of Rivals_ to me."

My father frowned. "Jasper? That's not a common name at all. Isn't that the name of the man you said you had your interview with, Bella?"

I froze and laid down my fork, glad I was pretty much done with my meal. "Yes. Jasper Whitlock is the Vice President of Marketing at the hospital."

My father turned his stern gaze to Edward. "And you two are friends?"

"Yes," Edward replied, his eyes flicking to mine and then back to my father.

The corner of my father's mouth tightened. "Did you get Bella the job as a favor?"

Edward frowned. "Sir, once again, I think you're underestimating your daughter. _She_ earned that position through five years of hard work at UP and Providence. It was her work ethic, intelligence, and extraordinary personality that got her hired. I had nothing to do with it."

The disapproving look on my father's face melted into one of grudging appreciation. He turned to me first. "I'm sorry, Bella. Edward is right. I never meant that you wouldn't have earned the position, I just wondered if Edward had done something to help it along."

Edward smiled a little ruefully. "When I so much as offered to put in a good word, Bella asked me not to. She was extremely concerned about everything being above board. The job is hers because she's the best possible candidate."

"You need to give me some credit, Dad," I said.

"I do. And I'll say it again, I am sorry." He turned to Edward. "And I have to say, you've impressed me with the way you stand up for Bella. I think I misjudged you."

Edward nodded. "No hard feelings. Just know that while the circumstances of our relationship might not be ideal, there is no man who will ever love your daughter as much as I do. And no man who will work harder to be deserving of her."

My father's face softened. "I hope you'll give me a chance to get to know you better."

"I'd like that, sir."

"Charlie," my father said, and this time his voice was much warmer. "Please, do call me Charlie."

I threaded my fingers through Edward's and glanced over at my mother. She was looking at my father with a soft, tender expression, and I felt a wave of relief wash over me. This was going to be okay. My father was beginning to see Edward's good qualities, and as long as he continued to give our relationship a chance, I knew he'd be won over eventually.

Edward spoke. "Thank you, Charlie. I appreciate that."

Once we finished eating, Edward and I helped clear the table, although my mother protested when we offered to help her do dishes. "No, no, you two head out. I can handle it."

We said our goodbyes and I teared up a little when I saw my mother hug Edward, and my father gave him a hearty handshake. "It was good to meet you, Edward."

"It was good to meet you, too, Charlie. Thank you for giving me a chance."

My mother pressed a container filled with baked goods into Edward's hands. "Please take this. Bella told me you and your daughter, Maggie, have quite the sweet tooth."

He chuckled. "We do. Thank you, Renee."

"I hope you'll come back soon," she said. "Will we see you at Bella's graduation next weekend?"

He shook his head. "Unfortunately not."

"My job won't start until the week after. We thought it would be safest if we didn't risk it," I explained.

My father nodded approvingly, but my mother frowned. "Well, that's a shame."

"We're both disappointed," Edward said, "but it is a relief to finally see an end to the secrecy."

My mother and Edward stepped out the door onto the porch, but my father hung back. He pulled me into a hug and then leaned back to look at me. "I just wanted to apologize again. I was wrong, and I'm sorry."

I choked up, knowing how hard it had been for him to apologize and admit he was wrong, but grateful that he had done it anyway. "Thanks, Dad."

"Love you, kid," he said, but before I could reply, he cleared his throat. "Guess I shouldn't call you kid anymore, huh? You're growing up to be quite the young woman."

"As long as you believe that, you can call me kid," I told him.

He kissed the top of my head, and we said our final round of goodbyes. Edward took my hand as we stepped off the porch onto the sidewalk, and when we reached the car, we turned around to wave at my parents. I felt nothing but warm affection as we pulled out of the driveway, relieved that one more obstacle had been overcome.

In the car on the ride home, Edward and I discussed how the weekend had gone. "I can't say I was expecting it, but I'm glad you and my father have the Civil War in common. I think that's when he finally started to relax with you."

"I almost thought I'd lost any goodwill he was feeling when Jasper came up," Edward said, flicking on the windshield wipers as the misty drizzle that had been hanging in the air all morning became a downpour.

"Me, too."

The car was silent except for the sound of the wet tires on the pavement and the swish of the wipers until Edward chuckled. "For a moment there, I thought your father might insist on showing me his collection of civil war pistols and using me for target practice."

I chuckled and squeezed Edward's hand. He added, "Although I couldn't decide if that was better or worse than him deciding he liked me enough to invite me to one of his re-enactment battles. I had a mental image of trudging behind him through some muddy field in Civil War garb."

I laughed aloud, picturing it. "I promise, I don't expect you to do that just to win over my father."

"I will do whatever it takes."

"You can stick to discussing books and history," I said. "But thank you."

I let go of Edward's hand and shifted so my arm was tucked through his and I was resting my temple against his upper arm. "I'm glad you suggested this. Resolving things with my father and having some time away was really good. I needed it."

"Good. I am glad it helped. Any time you need me to do something, Bella, just ask. I'll do my best."

"Same here," I said, tracing my fingers over the veins on the back of his hand. "We're in this together now, whatever we have to face, we face it together and support each other."

He leaned over and kissed the top of my head. "Absolutely."

**~BtBR~**

It was a little disappointing as we drew closer to Portland, knowing that our weekend was nearly over, but we'd accomplished so much that I really couldn't complain. Maggie wasn't home yet when Edward and I arrived at his house, but we had just gotten settled on the living room couch when we heard the sound of the door opening and Maggie calling out for her father.

"We're in here," he responded and she came through the door, a big smile on her face and her coppery curls bouncing.

"Hey, Dad, Bella."

I smiled back at her, glad to hear how natural it sounded when she greeted me now. "Hey, Maggie."

"How was your weekend?" Edward asked.

"Fun! Aunt Esme and I had a great time."

Maggie plopped into the chair across from us. Edward still had his arm around me, and I realized my hand was on his thigh, but she either didn't notice or didn't care. "What did you two do?" Edward asked.

"We went to the bookstore on Saturday," Maggie said, her green eyes sparkling.

Edward chuckled. "How many books did you come home with?"

She got a sheepish smile on her face. "Um, eight."

The look Edward gave her was fond, as if this was nothing new. "I see, well, two less than last time. I suppose that's an improvement," he teased her.

She giggled. "They're books. You can never have too many books."

"Your bookshelves upstairs would say otherwise."

"That's why you need to buy me a Kindle," she said.

I felt the rumble of Edward's laugh through his body. "I see; you're just trying to wear me down." He turned to me. "Maggie has been lobbying for a Kindle for at least a year. I maintained that her cell phone and laptop are plenty."

Maggie grinned. "I think it would be more convenient. Just think, you'd be helping me read more."

"Yeah, I don't think that's something I ever have to worry about," Edward said dryly. I loved seeing them like this, happy and teasing, and that I could be a part of it. "So, what else did you do this weekend?"

"Aunt Esme and I made cookies," Maggie said.

"Yeah? What kind?" I asked.

"Peanut butter. The kind with Hershey kisses on them."

"Peanut butter blossoms; yeah, those are good." I smiled at her. "Oh! There's a container of baked goods on the kitchen counter for you, by the way. My mom sent them home for you and your dad."

"Really?" her eyes lit up. "That was nice."

"Yeah, she's great."

"Oh, so did it go okay?" Maggie asked. "Talking to your dad, I mean."

"It did. It was kind of awkward on Saturday, but we made some progress, and we had a nice brunch today. He's coming around."

"Awesome."

Edward glanced at Maggie and me. "So, what do you say to the three of us having dinner?"

Maggie nodded. "That's cool."

"You want to stay for dinner?" he asked me, his expression hopeful.

"I'd love to," I said honestly; there was absolutely nowhere I'd rather be.

* * *

**Notes:** Ahh, now was that nice or what? More progress with Charlie, Edward met Rosalie and Emmett, E&B had their first "official" date, and there were some pretty great lemons, if I do say so myself. Not to mention some cute Edward and Maggie banter. Hope you enjoyed it all! I'd love to hear your thoughts on the chapter.

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	26. Chapter 25 - The University of Portland

**Notes:** Huge thanks to my pre-readers: Grnidgirl, ShellShock, and Jules Twifanawesomesox; my beta: Alice's White Rabbit; and my Validation beta: Totoro

So many of you loved the last chapter and said how happy it made you, which I was thrilled to hear. I think this is another one you'll really like. Bella is finally going to graduate!

* * *

**Chapter 25: University of Portland**

The week passed in a blur as I trained my replacement and got things in order for my new job. Jane had hired a nice girl named Bree, and she seemed bright and eager to learn. She was a part-time community college student and really excited about the job. She shadowed me all week, and I was pleased to see that she got along well with Tanya, and even Liz and Amber were nice to her.

On Wednesday evening, I had dinner with Edward and Maggie, and it seemed like things were falling into a good routine. Maggie was relaxed and comfortable with me, and I could see the relief on Edward's face at the way she and I were getting along.

I had taken Friday off work to get ready for graduation, and rehearsal was that morning at eleven on campus. It was long and tedious, and I was glad when it was over. I went back to my place and had just parked when Tanya pulled up. She had taken half a day off so we could get haircuts, manicures, and pedicures. We'd gone to the Exodus spa and salon a few times together before, and I was looking forward to it. I slid into her car with an eager hello, and she handed me coffee and a sandwich to eat on the way to the spa.

"How did you know I was going to be tired, starving, and cranky?" I asked.

She grinned. "I know you."

I laughed and we chatted about plans for the following day while I ate.

"Are you ready for some pampering?" Tanya asked with a grin as we walked in the door of the spa.

I grinned back. "So ready."

"Are you going to do anything different with your hair?" she asked, as we waited to check in.

I shook my head. "No, I just want a trim. It's been a while and my hair could use it. You?"

"Same. I'm actually trying to grow mine out."

The person in front of us finished checking in, and I stepped forward to give the employee our names. "Tanya Denali and Bella Swan."

"Oh, yes, I see you're scheduled for haircuts, milk and honey mani/pedis, and the ninety minute sauna and massage package with body polish." The receptionist beamed at me.

I shook my head in confusion, "No, I had made an appointment for a cut and style and the basic mani/pedi." I turned to Tanya. "Is this some kind of surprise gift from you?"

She shrugged, looking just as bewildered as I felt. "Nope, wasn't me."

The receptionist looked at the computer screen before nodding. "It looks like a Mr. Cullen called in two days ago to add the rest."

"I should have known. That man …" I smiled at Tanya and shook my head before turning back to the woman behind the counter. "Is that for both of us?"

"Yes, you will both be receiving those treatments."

"Well, great then. That's amazing."

"Just have a seat in the chairs over there, and someone will be out in just a moment to get you both started."

"Thank you," I said, still feeling a little flustered. We took our seats, and I accepted the hot tea they offered. I set it on the table beside me and turned to Tanya. "I am going to call Edward real quick."

She giggled. "Be sure to thank him for me."

"I will."

I pulled my phone out of my purse and dialed him. "You didn't have to do that, you know," I said with a smile when he answered.

I could hear the answering smile in his voice. "You could use some extra relaxation."

"You absolutely blow me away sometimes," I said. "I made some offhand comment earlier this week about my plans with Tanya today. I can't believe that you were paying attention, much less that you called to arrange this surprise."

"With what you've been dealing with the last few months, it's the least I can do. And Tanya deserved something nice as an apology for the way we kept her in the dark about things."

"Well, she said thank you, and so do I."

"Enjoy it. Happy early graduation. I'm so proud of you."

"I love you, you amazing man," I said. "The pampering will be wonderful, but more than anything, I love the fact that you think about things like this and that you go out of your way to make my life better."

"That's what I'm here for," he said softly. "And the pleasure you get from these things makes it more than worth it."

I glanced up to see someone from the spa standing there waiting patiently for me to wrap up my conversation. "I have to go, Edward, but thank you. You are the most incredible man, and I love you very much."

"I love you, too. Have a great day."

"Thank you." I hung up the phone and stuffed it in my purse before standing. "Sorry about that," I said, feeling bad that I'd kept Tanya and the spa employee waiting.

They both waved off my apologies, and the employee introduced herself and took our purses and coats from us. We were given a quick tour and followed her back to the changing room area.

We began with the sauna, and partway through the half-hour treatment, Tanya turned her head to me with a contented grin. "I think I'm in love with your boyfriend."

I laughed. "I _know_ I am."

"Bryan's a great guy, and I love him dearly, but arranging something like this would never occur to him."

"I don't think it would to most guys," I pointed out. "Edward is … unique, that's for sure, and I know he feels guilty about the situation we're in. I kind of had a meltdown the Friday before last because I was so stressed."

She nodded. "With everything you're going through, I don't know how you _wouldn't_ be stressed."

I shrugged. "I am feeling better now that you know, and I'm so close to starting the new job. That's going to be a huge relief. I just have to make it until next Wednesday."

"Well—" Tanya smiled at me, "there's just one solution. We have to have such a fabulous, relaxing day today that it'll last until next week."

I laughed and secured the damp curls on the back of my neck into the elastic that was holding my hair up. "I like that plan."

I closed my eyes and we relaxed in the sauna, just enjoying spending some time together. It was peaceful and calming, and I practically floated through the rest of the spa day. There were heavenly massages and mani/pedis, and my hair was washed, cut, and styled. By the time we left, I felt like I was glowing.

Tanya dropped me off at my apartment. She hugged me goodbye and said, "Thanks for sharing your spa day with me, and thank that man of yours for including me in it. That was so sweet of him."

"You're welcome, and of course I will," I reassured her. "We both want you to know how much we appreciate you being understanding about things."

She waved my comment off. "That's what friends are for," she said simply. "You told me when you could. I'm just happy for you, Bella."

"Thanks," I said, squeezing her arm. "You're a great friend."

She grinned at me. "Well, this friend is ditching you so she can go get _her_ man. Bryan has a free night, and I am taking advantage! He isn't going to know what hit him!"

I laughed and got out of the car, waving goodbye before heading into my building. I spent a while getting everything in order for graduation the next day and replying to an email from my mother about the details of when and where we were meeting the following day.

I packed an overnight bag and drove to Edward's place. Maggie was pulling out of the driveway just as I was about to pull in. She waved from her little blue car and grinned brightly at me. I grinned back and pulled into the garage. Edward met me in the doorway into the house and kissed me, taking my overnight bag. "You just missed Maggie."

"She waved as we passed each other," I explained. "How was your day?"

Edward groaned and wrapped his arms around me. "I've had better."

"Aww, I'm sorry," I said, kissing him briefly. "How come?"

"Bureaucratic bullshit. I get so tired of the length of time it takes to make any changes around the hospital. Nothing major, just a lot of little things accumulating at once."

"You want to talk about it?" I asked.

With our arms still wrapped around each other, he walked backwards, pulling me with him into the kitchen. "No. I'd rather have dinner and some wine with you, and then take you up to bed."

I grinned at him. "Well, that does sound nice."

He kissed me soundly and then drew back, leading me over to the dining room where dinner was waiting. "I thought you might like that."

Dinner was simple but delicious, and we talked while we ate our food and drank our wine. I told him about the spa and relayed Tanya's message to him. "It was the perfect day, Edward. Thank you."

He smiled at me and squeezed my hand. "You needed it; I was happy to help."

We did the dishes together after our meal and went upstairs. Maggie was spending the night with a friend, so when Edward locked the bedroom door behind him with a grin, I had a feeling we'd be spending the rest of the night in his bed. I had no complaints.

We stripped each other out of our clothing, and our lips met in a heated kiss. "I want you in my bed again," he said roughly, kissing his way down my jaw to my neck.

"You can have me anywhere you want me," I promised him, sliding my hands down over his chest to his stomach. "I'm yours."

He groaned lowly. "I like the sound of that." He walked us back toward the bed, his hands never leaving my body.

With a sure touch and warm lips, Edward easily brought me to several orgasms that night. Spent and exhausted when we were both done, I lay back on the bed with a contented groan. "How does it just keep getting better?" I asked.

He chuckled and kissed me before turning away to grab something from his nightstand. My eyes drifted closed, and I didn't open them until I felt something cool touch my skin. I looked down to see Edward placing a small white box on my stomach.

"What's this?" I asked, puzzled, picking it up and inspecting it.

"Open it."

I slipped off the gold bow and lifted the lid. There was a rectangular white piece of cardstock with a note in Edward's handwriting and a necklace.

_Congratulations, Bella_

_I am so proud of you, and I wish I could be there with you tomorrow._

_I love you more than I can possibly express._

_-Edward_

The necklace was a fine gold chain with three charms on it. One was a delicate leaf, the second was a pearl, and the third was a flat disc with a 'B' engraved on it. It was beautiful, and I smiled when I realized I'd be able to wear it the following day with the dress I'd picked out for graduation.

"I love it, Edward," I said softly, brushing my thumb across the pearl.

"Maggie helped me pick it out."

"That's so sweet. Thank you both." I sat up and Edward helped me put on the necklace. It fell halfway between my collarbone and the top of my breasts, and once I was lying back down, his fingertip gently traced the line of the chain against my skin.

"I'd love it if you wore it tomorrow, since I can't be there. I wanted it to be something you carried with you, to know I'm thinking about you."

"Of course," I promised him. "I was planning to wear it, anyway, but that makes it even more special. You are so incredibly romantic, Edward."

He shook his head, dismissing my comment. "Just a man in love."

I stretched up to kiss him and threaded my fingers through the hair at the back of his head. "I love you. Thank you for the necklace, and please tell Maggie how much I love it."

"I will." He paused for a moment. "What are your plans for the rest of the weekend, exactly?"

"Well, my parents are meeting me at my place tomorrow, and we're all going to campus together. Alice, Rose, Emmett, and Tanya will meet us there. After the ceremony, I think my parents are taking us all out to dinner.

Edward groaned. "I _hate_ that I can't be there."

"I do, too." I frowned. "It's so hard to keep you separate from the rest of my life. I just have to keep reminding myself that next week, things will start to change."

"Yes," he agreed. "I've always been a patient man, but I'll be honest, this is really testing it. When you've spent seventeen years being miserable, and you finally find the person who makes you happy, you want it all to happen immediately."

His arms closed more tightly around me as we held each other close.

**~BtBR~**

We spent the rest of the evening talking and making love, enjoying the freedom of being in Edward's bed again. We fell asleep in each other's arms and I left the next morning after showering with him. He walked me out to my car and kissed me goodbye, deeply and thoroughly. "Have a great day. I'll be thinking about you."

"Thanks. I'll be thinking about you, too. I'll miss you."

He pinned me gently against my car. "Do you have plans on Sunday?"

"Yes, Rose and Alice and I are going shopping before they head home."

"Come over after?" he asked. "I was thinking you could stay over Sunday night."

"With Maggie here?" I asked, a little distracted by the way his hands were gripping me.

"Yes."

I froze against him. "Oookay."

He frowned down at me. "Are you nervous about it?"

"A little," I admitted.

"Trust me, she's ready for this."

"Okay." I nodded. "I trust you."

He leaned in for one last, lingering kiss. "Now, have a great day. Congratulations. I am so proud of you. I know you've worked hard for this."

I hugged him tightly; his praise and pride in me meant so much. I reluctantly let him go and got in my car. I was a little bit wistful as I drove away, and I glanced in my rearview mirror to see Edward standing just inside the garage, his hands in his pockets and a small smile on his face. We would both miss each other today. I reached up and touched the necklace from him and Maggie, feeling warmth spread over me. Even if he—_they_—couldn't be there with me today, they would be with me in some small way.

I had enough time once I got home to curl my hair, do my makeup, and dress. Online, I'd found a cute dress in a deep coral color that I'd ordered a few weeks back. It had cap sleeves, a V-shaped neckline, and an interesting draped panel that ran from my shoulder to my waist. It was comfortable to wear under a graduation gown, but formal enough for pictures and dinner after. I slipped into black heels and grabbed a vintage black suede clutch purse with coral flowers on it. My gown was neatly ironed and hung on a hanger, and I grabbed a sweater to wear with the dress for dinner.

I stared at myself in the mirror as I pinned my graduation cap on; hardly believing this day was finally here. Between my job, and everything that had happened with Edward, I felt light-years older than the average college graduate.

I had just finished pinning my cap in place when the knock on my door came. I opened it to see my mother's smiling face, and she teared up the moment she saw me. "Oh, I can't believe you're graduating today," she gushed. "I am so proud of you."

She hugged me tightly, and I had to fight to not get choked up when my father repeated her sentiments and hugged me, too. I gathered my things, put on my coat, and my mother carried my gown down to their vehicle when we left the apartment. My parents knew how to get to campus, but I directed them from there to the Portsmouth Street entrance of the Chiles Center where I had to line up. They pulled off to the side, and my mother helped me slip into my robe and straighten my cap. I slipped my phone into the pocket of my dress, mentally patting myself on the back for buying a dress that had pockets since I wouldn't be able to carry my purse. I joined the group of graduates milling around, and my parents left to go park.

It was 1:15 and the graduation ceremony wouldn't start until 2. It would give them plenty of time to park and find good seats. I wouldn't see everyone else until after the ceremony.

"Are you excited?" a familiar voice asked, and I turned to see Angela. She was grinning at me and I smiled back.

"I am. It's kind of surreal though."

"I know."

We caught up with each other as we waited for everyone to assemble, and I was disappointed when we had to say goodbye as we lined up in alphabetical order. "Next time I see you, we'll be graduates," she squealed, and I laughed and waved goodbye as she headed further down the line.

Just before we began to walk, my phone vibrated in my pocket with a message from Edward.

_I love you. E_

I didn't even have time to respond. Everything was a blur after that with the procession in, the numerous speeches, and the presentation of diplomas. I craned my neck trying to see my family, but the seats were packed, and I had no idea where they'd found spots.

As the ceremony continued, I found myself touching the necklace Edward had given me through the black gown. I was startled when the person in front of me stood up, I'd been so lost in my thoughts I hadn't realized it was almost my turn. My heart was racing in my chest as I navigated through the rows of chairs and onto the stage, shaking the hands of various university officials. I received my diploma—or at least the stand-in I'd have until the official one arrived in the mail in a few weeks. I heard cheers in the crowd as my name was called out, and one particularly piercing whistle that could have been either Tanya or Emmett, I wasn't quite sure which.

I touched my necklace softly as I stepped down off the stage and went back to my seat. I cheered for Angela when her name was called out, and once the remaining graduates were done, the ceremony wrapped up. Transferring the tassel from right to left sent a thrill through me, and as the ceremony finished with thunderous applause, I could hardly believe that five years of school were finally over.

I was done.

Everything descended into chaos after that as families streamed down from the seats to congratulate their graduates. I found Angela in the crowd, and we hugged enthusiastically. "You need to keep in touch," she said, shouting over the noise of the crowd and I nodded.

"I'd love that!"

She got swept away as her family arrived, and I searched the crowd for mine. Tanya found me first and then everyone else arrived, and I was hugged and congratulated until my head was spinning. I greeted Rose, Emmett, and Alice enthusiastically. Despite our earlier spat and awkward conversations since, Alice's hug was warm and genuine. She was sincerely supportive and so thrilled for me. I hugged her tight, not wanting to let her go for a moment. "Thanks for coming!"

"Of course," she reassured me. "I wouldn't let anything stop me from being here."

I posed for photos with everyone, my mother going nuts with her camera until I was half-blind from the flash. The love I felt for everyone overwhelmed me, and I found myself getting a little bit choked up several times.

Underneath it all was the lingering, wistful feeling of wanting Edward here to celebrate with me though.

I missed his arms around me, the sound of his voice, the steady, supportive presence he always had. Tanya nudged me with her elbow suddenly and leaned in to whisper in my ear. "Bella! I think Edward's here!"

I tilted my head to look at her, thinking she must be wrong. But she pointed out toward the crowd, and when I finally saw the two people standing in the seats about halfway up, my heart stuttered in my chest. Edward couldn't be here openly supporting me, but he and Maggie had come anyway. I knew the moment he saw that I'd spotted him, and a wide grin crossed his face. Maggie waved enthusiastically, and I waved back, feeling so full of love for them both it made my chest ache.

Maggie and I had a long way to go yet, but the fact that she was here to support me, and eager and excited for me to know that, meant so much. I slipped my fingers under the neckline and let the necklace fall so it was outside the gown. "Thank you," I mouthed at them both, and Edward nodded.

He glanced down at his phone and I felt mine chime a moment later.

_I love you and I'm so proud of you. Maggie says hi. Call me tonight if you have time._

My fingers flew over the screen as I composed my reply.

_Thank you for coming. I love you, too. Hi, Maggie, it means the world that you're here._

I saw Edward show her the message, and she grinned at me and waved again. My mother leaned over and looked at me curiously. "Who are you waving to?"

I gestured toward the seats. "Edward and Maggie came."

It took her a moment but I knew the moment she found them in the crowd. Her eyes were sparkling when they met mine. "She's just adorable, isn't she?"

I laughed, thinking of the first few interactions with Maggie. Adorable was _not_ the word I would have used to describe her then. "Well, now that she's gotten used to the idea of me, yes. It's been hard on her, but she's really come around lately."

"She looks just like him," my mother mused as they both gave a final wave and turned to leave.

"Yes," I agreed. "They have a lot of similar mannerisms, too."

My father interrupted us to tell us he was going to go get the car and that he'd meet us at the Portsmouth Street entrance. My mother and I slowly followed, my friends trailing behind us.

We were silent until my mother shook her head and looked at me seriously. "I think it says a lot about Edward's feelings for you that he came today."

"It does, and the fact that Maggie came makes me so happy."

My mother tucked her arm into mine as we walked. "It's hard to believe you're dating a man with a sixteen-year-old daughter; but, after meeting him, I'm starting to see how you fit into his life."

"I'm getting there," I said. "It's not just his life though; it's his and Maggie's. They're a package deal."

"Would you change that if you could?" she asked.

I took a long moment to think and then shook my head. "No. I might have at first, but I've grown to really care about her," I admitted.

My mother squeezed my arm. "I might not have agreed with your decision to pursue something with Edward while you were still his employee, but I'm proud of the way you've made this relationship work and that you're including his daughter in that."

"She's …" I struggled to put into words how I felt about Maggie. "She's a part of him, and the more I get to know her, the more I care about her."

"Not everyone would feel that way, Bella."

"Good thing they're not the ones dating Edward then," I said lightly. My mother laughed and smiled at me.

"I noticed the necklace you're wearing today. Gift from Edward?" she asked.

I touched it softly. "Mmmhmm. Maggie helped him pick it out."

The crowd slowed to a stop, and she gently picked the charms up and inspected them. "It's beautiful."

I told her about the intent behind it, along with the spa surprise, and she shook her head. "I may have to have Edward give your father lessons on being romantic," she muttered.

Tanya was ahead of us in the crowd now, and she craned her neck to grin at my mom. "I think he should open up a school. I want to send Bryan to learn that, too."

I chuckled. "Yeah, well, try dealing with what we're dealing with, and then tell me if it's worth it."

"Is it?" my mother asked more seriously.

"_He_ is," I said simply, and she nodded and squeezed my arm.

**~BtBR~**

After we left the Chiles Center, we made our way across town to the restaurant where my parents had made a reservation. It was a very nice place in downtown Portland called Higgins Restaurant.

The elegant, warm interior reminded me a little bit of the restaurant where Edward had taken me on our date in Silverton, and I felt a pang of longing for him to be beside me. I could practically feel his hand on my lower back and the brush of his lips at my temple.

The flurry of activity as we were seated at the table and ordering our meal helped distract me from missing him. Everyone was in a celebratory mood and the love of my friends and family meant the world to me. After our entrees, my father made a nice little speech about how proud he was of me, and I had to blink back tears. Whatever mistakes he'd made during our fight at Thanksgiving, I knew he loved me.

As we waited for dessert, everyone handed me cards and gifts and I opened them, beginning with a card that was from Emmett, Rose, and Alice. I gasped when a photograph fluttered to the table, and I realized the gift was one of Alice's paintings. It was a beautiful landscape of the rolling fields of the Willamette Valley, and it was one of the most beautiful pieces of hers I'd seen in a long time.

"Did you paint this for me, Alice?" I asked.

She nodded. "Do you like it?"

"I love it," I said, flabbergasted. "It's beautiful."

"Em and Rose arranged to get it framed. We'll give it to you tomorrow."

I hugged them all, touched by the beautiful and personal gift they'd given me. I knew I'd think of them all every time I looked at it. "Thank you," I said, wiping away tears. "I love it."

Tanya's gift was next, a black leather shoulder bag that I could use for work. It was just big enough to hold the things I carried with me on a daily basis, and slip paperwork or my laptop inside if I needed it. It was gorgeously made of soft leather and far nicer than the bag I carried now.

I hugged her enthusiastically, loving that she'd gotten me something that was both beautiful and practical.

My parents' gift turned me into a sobbing mess. In addition to the gift of taking us all out to dinner to celebrate my graduation, they gave me a check. The last few years, they had set aside enough money for me to pay off my car. I was utterly shocked, not expecting anything of the sort.

With teary eyes, my mother told me that they were sorry they hadn't been able to help me pay for school, but they were so impressed by how hard I'd worked that they wanted to do something to contribute. It was an amazing feeling to know that not only had I managed to finish school with no student loan debt, but I would be completely debt-free once my car was paid off. I had the fleeting thought that, in addition to my new job, I was going to be on a much more equal footing with Edward financially. It didn't really matter, I knew he'd never looked down on me for the fact that I was a struggling student, but it still felt good to know that there was one less disparity between us.

I hugged my parents, tears flowing freely, and was a complete mess by the time the waiter brought out dessert. I excused myself to go to the restroom and used a damp tissue to clean up my streaky eye makeup. I touched up my lipstick and left the restroom, nearly running into a man just outside.

"Excuse me," we both muttered and then paused in our steps. It was Jim Henthorn, the VP of Operations at the hospital. He blinked at me in surprise.

"You work at Providence, yes?" he asked, and I nodded. He continued slowly. "Miss Swan, right?"

"Yes," I said, surprised that he remembered my name.

"I heard you got a position in our Marketing Department."

I stammered out a reply. "I did, yes. I start next week. Graduation was today, actually."

"Oh, well, congratulations then," he said, holding out his hand. "We're always glad to be able to fill positions like that internally. We really pride ourselves in being the employer of choice here in Portland," he said warmly.

I shook his hand. "Thank you, sir. I couldn't imagine working anywhere else."

"Thrilled to hear it, Miss Swan. Administration is very impressed with you. We expect great things in your future."

"Thank you," I said, humbled by his praise. "That means so much to me."

We said goodbye and I headed back to the table, suddenly grateful that Edward hadn't come with us to dinner. As much as I wanted him beside me tonight, our caution had been rewarded.

I sat down at the table and enjoyed the rest of the celebration dinner with my family and friends. In a week or so, Edward and I would never have to be apart if we didn't want to be, and that was one of the best feelings in the world.

* * *

**Notes: **I think this chapter was the one that melted my pre-readers and beta the most. They LOVED Maggie and Edward showing up at Bella's graduation (even if they couldn't sit with her family and friends).

Here are a couple of pics to go along with the chapter.

Edward and Maggie's gift to Bella: i49#tinypic#com/2mhim4n#jpg

Bella at graduation: i46#tinypic#com/2aj88sy#jpg

I am really eager to hear what you thought of the chapter. There were lots of really wonderful things happening, huh? Did you like the surprises from Maggie and Edward? Smart move on E&B's part to keep being careful right up until the last minute though, wasn't it? Can you imagine if the other VP had seen Edward at dinner with Bella? Yikes! Not so good.

I have a Facebook group called Discordia's Library. If you'd like to join, add me as a friend on FB, and let me know you'd like to be added to the group.

Please stop by to chat or look for teasers in the following places:

Facebook: www#facebook#com/DiscordiaWriter

Facebook Group: Discordia's Library

Twitter: DiscordiaWrites

Tumblr: discordiawriter#tumblr#com/

Copy and paste the links and replace the # with a period


	27. Chapter 26 - Washington Square Mall

**Notes:** Huge thanks to my pre-readers: Grnidgirl, ShellShock, and Jules Twifanawesomesox; my beta: Alice's White Rabbit; and my Validation beta: Totoro

So glad you liked Maggie coming to graduation! When I originally wrote the outline, that wasn't part of the plan. But, Maggie demanded that she wanted to be there for Bella, and well, I happened to agree with her. I am really thrilled you are enjoying her character so much. I am enjoying her, too, and there are so many great things to come with her and Bella.

* * *

**Chapter 26: Washington Square Mall**

After the celebratory graduation dinner, Alice, Emmett, and Rosalie all headed to the hotel where they were staying. Alice, Rosalie, and I were planning to go shopping the following day while Emmett went to visit a friend of his in Portland.

My parents took me back to my apartment, and on the ride home, I told them about the encounter with Jim Henthorn. My mother's comment was immediately supportive. "Of course they're impressed by you, Bella. How could they not be with everything you've accomplished?"

I smiled at her unwavering championing of me, but I was surprised when my father didn't really respond. They followed me up to my apartment, and I thanked them again for the dinner and the money for my car. "I really didn't expect you to do that," I said.

"We are so proud of you, honey," my mom said. "You were so responsible and mature when you got hired at Providence and worked to pay for your school. We have always regretted we couldn't help you out more and this is our way of doing what we can. You have grown up to be a wonderful young woman, and we couldn't be more proud of you."

I hugged her tightly and then turned to my father. He engulfed me in his arms and gruffly spoke. "Your mother is right, we are very proud of you."

"Thank you, Dad."

He pulled back to look at me. "You really wanted Edward there at dinner tonight, didn't you?"

I nodded, puzzled by his question. "Of course I did, but we thought it was too risky. Obviously, we were right, since I ran into someone from administration tonight."

He nodded. "I haven't given you two enough credit for some of the tough choices you've had to make. You are being cautious, and I can see you've thought this all through. I'm glad to see it, and I shouldn't be underestimating you the way I have been."

"Thank you," I said, swallowing hard.

"Edward might not be the guy I'd pick for you, but the two of you are clearly working hard to make this relationship work; the least I can do is support you."

"Oh, Dad." I hugged him tightly as tears welled up.

"You make me proud. I hope you know that."

"I do now," I choked out.

**~BtBR~**

In the morning, I was up, dressed, and ready by the time the first knock on my door came. It was Alice. She was about fifteen minutes early, and I was just finishing my cereal.

"I hope you don't mind that I'm early," she said, setting her coat down on the edge of the couch and following me into the kitchen.

"No, it's fine. Cereal?" I held up the box and she shook her head.

"I ate at the hotel; I'll just grab some coffee. I came early because I wanted to talk to you."

"Okay," I said slowly. "What about?"

"Just another apology for being a total bitch a few months back. I'm sorry, Bella."

"Thanks." I chuckled softly. "I feel like I just had the same conversation with my father."

She helped herself to coffee and took a seat next to me. "He was upset about you and Edward?"

"Yeah," I admitted. "Made you look like a fucking amateur."

Alice threw her head back and laughed. "Yeah, overprotective cop dad, I can see that. He was pretty bad in high school." She grew more serious. "I _am_ sorry. I completely overreacted."

"Yeah, you did," I said bluntly, and she gave me a half-smile. "Like I said, I get it, especially after you told me what happened with James, but Jesus, Alice, that hurt. I needed someone to talk to, and you were cruel to me."

She frowned down at her coffee for a moment, and when she looked up at me, her eyes were brimming with tears. "I will never stop regretting that."

I reached over and squeezed her hand, and she squeezed back. "Well, I appreciate the apology and that you came yesterday. I'm not mad at you anymore, I'm just asking for you to at least try to be more open-minded about my relationship with him."

"I really am trying to be," she said. "If nothing else, it's clear this is a hell of a lot more than a fling."

"I don't think I could have had a fling with Edward if I'd tried," I said, getting up to rinse out my bowl and put it in the dishwasher.

"You're in love with him?" she asked.

I nodded. "Yes."

Another knock on the door came, and I answered it to see Emmett and Rosalie on the other side. Rosalie came inside but Emmett just waved. "Have fun ladies. If you drink too much and need a ride, call me."

Rosalie laughed. "I am seven months pregnant; I think I can manage to stay sober. Besides, we're shopping, not drinking."

He eyed us warily. "I know you three. I assume nothing."

The three of us burst into laughter as he left with a wave.

"Ready to go?" Rosalie asked.

"Yep."

Alice gulped down the rest of her coffee, and I gathered up my things. It wasn't until we were all in my car and on the way to the mall that Alice continued our conversation from earlier.

"Is Edward in love with you?" she piped up from the back seat.

"Wait, what?" Rosalie asked, trying to turn in her seat to look back at her, but struggling because of her belly. "Why do I feel like I missed part of the conversation? What are you talking about?"

"Before you got to the apartment, I was telling Bella I was sorry for being a heinous bitch to her about Edward."

"Oh," Rosalie nodded. "Got it. What does that have to do with Edward being in love with Bella though?"

"I was just curious," Alice said a little defensively.

"If you'd ever seen them together, you'd know."

"You met him?" Alice asked, and I let Rosalie tell the story about our weekend in Silverton.

"Hands down, he's the hottest forty-year-old I've ever seen," Rosalie added when she finished describing the lunch the four of us had eaten together.

I laughed. Edward was thirty-nine, but I wasn't going to quibble. Alice leaned forward in her seat. "How hot are we talking? Brad Pitt hot?"

"Hotter," Rosalie and I said in unison.

"Damn," Alice said, sounding impressed.

Rosalie shrugged. "Although, I know you're partial to blue-eyed blonds, Alice. Edward's hair is kind of reddish brown, and he has green eyes. He's not really your type."

Alice nodded. "I am partial to blonds, but I trust your judgment. So, hot, that's great. Tell me more."

Glad that Alice wanted to hear more about Edward, Rosalie and I filled her in. Rosalie finished up. "I like them together."

"Thanks, Rose," I said softly. "That means a lot."

"I mean it, Alice," she said, trying to turn in her seat again. "If you could just see them together, you'd understand. That man is completely in love with Bella. The way he looks at her is just—" she shivered "—unf, I dunno. It's so intense. And he's a total sweetheart. He offered to let Bella host my baby shower at his place."

Alice grinned. "Well, I look forward to meeting Mr. Sweet and Sexy, then."

All three of us burst into laughter, and I let out a huge breath of relief. One more piece had fallen into place, and it felt so good.

**~BtBR~**

The three of us spent the morning shopping. With Christmas just a few weeks away, we all had gifts to buy, and I needed some clothing for the new job. With the tension between Alice and me gone, it was fun to just relax with my friends and not have to worry about what I said.

When Rose stopped in a baby store, we all perused the tiny outfits, giggling at some of the ones with amusing slogans on the front and 'awwing' at the tiny hats and shoes.

"You still don't know the sex?" Alice asked, turning a fuzzy hat with bear ears over.

"Nope, we're waiting to find out," Rosalie said.

"Are you good with me decorating with green and pale yellow for the shower?" I asked her and she nodded.

"Yeah, that sounds great," Rosalie replied. "We went with tans and greens in the nursery. Oh! Have I showed you the gorgeous mural Alice did in there?"

I shook my head, fingering a tiny onesie. Rosalie brought up pictures on her phone to show me. Alice had done a nature theme, with leafy trees, animals, and bugs. They all looked so real, you felt like you could practically touch them.

"It's gorgeous," I praised her. "And so is that painting you did for me. That was such a wonderful gift."

Alice flushed. "Glad you liked it."

"I've been tossing around the idea of getting one for Edward for Christmas," I said.

"One of my paintings?" Alice asked.

"Yeah, the house he lives in is gorgeous, but it belonged to his parents, and he hasn't had a chance to really make it his, yet," I said. "I don't know, I thought maybe a painting would be a good gift. I should talk to Maggie about it, I guess. See what she thinks."

"Maggie's his daughter, right?" Alice said.

"Yep."

"I heard part of your conversation with your mother last night at graduation. It's going well with her?"

I nodded. "Really well, actually. Tonight's the first night I'm going to spend the night at the house with her there."

"Oh, wow," Rosalie said. "How are you feeling about that?"

"Nervous." I sighed and turned to face her.

"I don't know how you wouldn't be," Alice pointed out.

"I mean, Edward says she's ready for it, and I trust his judgment, especially about his own daughter, but it's pretty nerve-wracking. I'm afraid she'll go back to being the snot she was when we met. And don't get me wrong, I was nearly as bad when I was sixteen, and didn't have half the reasons she does." I sighed. "I'm just worried that we'll undo all of the progress we've made."

"She showed up at your graduation, Bella. That has to mean something."

"I know. Like I said, I know my worry is kind of irrational, I'm just having a hard time turning it off."

Alice tilted her head and looked at me. "I'm curious. Have you talked with Edward about _this_?" She waved a newborn onesie at me. I stared at her blankly for a moment before it finally clicked that she was talking about babies, and not Maggie.

"About having kids together?" I shook my head. "We've had so much to deal with lately. It hasn't really been on our radar. We had to prioritize what we were dealing with. Maggie, work, and just having enough time to see each other was up first. Now that things are getting resolved there, yeah, we need to have that conversation, I think. To be honest, we haven't even talked about marriage."

"Do you want marriage and children with Edward?" she asked. Unlike some of her previous questions about my relationship with Edward, this didn't sound hostile or accusatory, merely curious.

"Ideally, yes."

"What if he doesn't want those things?" she asked curiously.

"I want Edward in my life more than I want either marriage or children. If he doesn't want either, I can live with that," I said slowly.

"Hmm," Rosalie said.

"Why? Is that a bad thing?"

"No, it's just interesting."

"Can I picture myself walking down the aisle toward him and giving birth to his child? Yes, absolutely," I said. "But I _can't_ picture my life without him in it."

**~BtBR~**

We spent the rest of the afternoon shopping, stopping only to have lunch. Alice and I did have a drink with lunch, but unlike Emmett's dire predictions, we didn't go crazy. Rosalie did grouse about the fact that she couldn't have a drink, and said she was counting down the days until she gave birth. Alice offered to bring a bottle of wine into the delivery room, and all three of us ended up in tears we were laughing so hard.

It was a successful shopping trip for all of us; I'd found gifts for Edward, Tanya, my parents, and even a few small things for Maggie. I'd found some clothes, shoes, and accessories for myself as well. Between the three of us, we managed to fill my trunk, and the ride back to my place was filled with a lot of laughter.

They helped me lug my bags up to my apartment, and Alice brought up the painting she'd given me. She helped me hang it, swapping out the framed poster on the living room wall with her artwork.

"It's beautiful," I told her, hugging her and Rosalie both. "I love that you did this for me. It's such a special gift."

With hugs and a few tears, they left, promising to come to the holiday party Edward and I were throwing. I took my purchases out of the bags, stashing the gifts in the closet and hanging up the new clothes. I threw together an overnight bag and put together an outfit for work the next day.

I texted Edward to let him know I was on my way over, and happily headed to his house. Despite the leaden grey skies and drizzly rain, I was light and happy, refusing to let my nerves about Maggie's reaction to me staying over affect me.

When I arrived at Edward's house, he greeted me with a kiss and helped me take my things up to his bedroom. Maggie was gone, and since we didn't want to waste an opportunity, we made love.

After, we curled up on the couch in the living room and watched a movie. It was so refreshingly _normal_, I found myself grinning.

When he squirmed for the umpteenth time, I turned to him. "You okay?"

He frowned and shifted on the couch. "This couch is horribly uncomfortable. I really need to get a new one. It's okay if there's only one person on it, or two people side by side, but this—" he gestured to the way we were laying spooned together "—doesn't really work."

I nodded my agreement. "It's really a more formal couch, not really designed for lounging."

"It's hideous too." He pointed out.

"Well, I know it belonged to your parents, so I wasn't going to say anything, but, yeah, it's a bit outdated," I admitted. It was a well-made couch, and in its day had been very stylish, but now looked quite dated and not at all Edward's taste.

"My mother had plans to re-decorate the house, but my father had a bit of a health scare, and they were so wrapped up in it, that they never got around to it. After that, they felt it would be better if they had a smaller house."

"It's a gorgeous place."

"Yes, but it's not very personal to me, yet. One of my friends, Kate, is an interior decorator. Maybe I'll see if she'd be willing to do some work on the house." Edward looked at me. "I want your input, too, of course."

"Mine?" I asked, a little surprised.

"Of course. I sincerely hope you'll be spending a lot of time here in the future, and I want you to feel comfortable."

"That's sweet, I was just surprised." I hesitated a moment, knowing that this was a good segue into bringing up the talk we really needed to have about our future, but I felt strangely hesitant about it now that I had the opportunity, unsure of what to say.

Edward was about to say something else, but his phone rang, and I felt a little relieved at the distraction. He slipped his hand in his pocket and pulled it out, sighing when he saw who had called. "Work. That can't be good. I'll be back in a minute."

I nodded, and he brushed his lips over my cheek before he disappeared out the door of the living room. I paused the movie, but a minute turned into five, and then into ten, and he didn't return from the library. I wandered over to the bookshelf and browsed through the books there. I found one that looked interesting and grabbed it, settling onto the couch. A short while later, I heard the slam of the door from the garage and Maggie called out. "Dad? I'm home!"

I got up and met her in the kitchen. "He's on the phone with work."

"Oops. Didn't realize." She grimaced briefly and then smiled at me. "Hi, by the way."

"It's okay, I just thought I'd give you a head's up." I smiled at her. "And hi. What were you up to today?"

She leaned against the counter. "Oh, hanging out with Jess, Lauren, and Amy. We didn't really do anything, just kind of watched movies and stuff at Jess's place."

"Did you have fun?" I asked.

She nodded. "Yeah."

"I went shopping with two of my best friends today," I offered. "Christmas shopping, mostly."

"Get anything good?"

"Yeah, a few things. Hey, I'd actually like your opinion on something," I said.

"Mine?" Maggie looked surprised.

"Yes, yours. My friend Alice is a painter, she does landscapes, mostly of scenes here in Oregon and Washington. Do you think your dad would like one? I was thinking maybe something he could put in the living room, if he wanted to. He was talking about re-doing some of the rooms in the house, actually."

"Oh good," Maggie said. "I love Grandma Cullen, but this house is hideous."

I chuckled at her comment and stared at her expectantly. "So you think the painting would be an okay gift?"

She mulled it over for a minute. "Yeah, probably. They're not like the fussy, old-ladyish ones already in there, right?"

"Uh, no. Alice is very good. They're more abstract. Acrylics rather than oils, and not so dark and heavy looking. Actually, hang on; I can show you her stuff." I grabbed my phone out of my pocket and went to one of the sites where she sold her work. When I found it, I showed it to Maggie and she took the phone from my hand, scrolling through the pictures for a moment before she nodded.

"Yeah, I think he'd like those."

"I mean, I have a few books and movies for him, some clothes. I just wanted something more personal."

"No, the painting's cool." Maggie handed my phone back to me. "I love Etsy."

She was referring to the website the paintings were on. It was a great site with handmade and vintage items from all over the world. Each seller has their own storefront, and I'd lost hours, maybe days, browsing it. "Yeah, me, too," I agreed.

"We got your necklace there," she said, nodding to the graduation gift still around my neck.

"I didn't realize that," I said, smiling at her. "I really love it. And I want to thank you for coming yesterday. It meant a lot to me."

She looked down and shrugged. "You're welcome. I dunno, you've just been really great, and I still feel bad that I was so mean to you before. I just wanted you to know that I like you, and I really do think you're good for my dad."

"That's one of the nicest things you could say, Maggie. Thank you. It made me feel really good that you were both there for me."

"Cool."

I kind of wanted to lean in and hug her, but I wasn't really sure if we were there yet. We were both silent for a moment before I finally spoke. "So, your dad is on the phone with work, and I have no idea how long that's going to take. I think I'll surprise him by making dinner. Do you want to help?"

"Yeah, sure," she agreed. "What are you making?"

"I have no idea," I said, going over to the fridge. "Let's see what's in here."

I browsed through the refrigerator and pantry, noticing that it was well-stocked. "It looks like we have everything to make lasagna. It's kind of time consuming, but how does that sound?"

"Sure. Don't you need a recipe or something though?"

"No, I actually kind of play it by ear," I explained and pulled the box of pasta out. "There's always one on the box of the noodles, though, if you need it for reference."

"So you just kind of use the recipe as a guideline, but throw in whatever you want?"

"Yep."

"Huh, cool. So what do I do?"

I explained the basic plan, and once all of the ingredients were laid out, I had Maggie start chopping garlic and onions. We were making the sauce from scratch, so it was a fairly involved process.

Maggie was quiet, and I chalked it up to focusing on the task, but she took me by surprise when she finally spoke. I was glad I wasn't the one who had a knife in my hand, because I probably would have chopped a finger off. "Everyone keeps telling me I should talk to my mom," she said softly.

I started and turned to look at her. _Jesus, this girl is going to kill me,_ I thought. Clearly, she needed someone to talk to, but she took me by surprise every time she brought it up.

"Well, the last thing I want is to tell you what you should do," I said softly, "that's for you to decide. If you want to talk about it, I'm here to listen."

She sighed and kept chopping. "I mean, I love her; she's my mom, ya know? I can't forget that she decided _Felix_"— she spat his name—"was more important than my dad and me, though. It just makes me so mad."

I nodded. "I can understand that, but isn't that something you could talk to her about? Maybe she can help you understand why she made that choice."

"But I don't know if I _want_ to talk to her yet."

"Fair enough," I admitted. "Isn't it stressful keeping all of that inside, though?"

She shrugged. "I have Dad to talk to. And my therapist."

"Don't you have things you want to say to your mom too?"

"Sometimes," she said grudgingly.

"Again, it's your call. From my experience though, I know I feel better when I get it out. Bottling up your anger makes you feel worse. I know I feel a lot better now that I have this fight with my dad resolved. It doesn't mean I'll forget some of the things he said or that I agree with the way he acted. It just means we're both trying to re-build our relationship, and I feel a million times better now that we've worked it out."

"You have a good point." Maggie looked over at me. "Thanks. I'm just … still thinking about it, I guess."

"There's nothing wrong with that." I smiled encouragingly at her. "I just hope you know that I'm not trying to encourage you to talk to your mom because I don't want you around here. I like spending time with you, Maggie."

She looked shocked. "Oh, no, I know that. I didn't think you were."

"Good," I said, relieved. It had been one of my biggest fears.

"I mean, I really don't want to think about what you and my dad do here alone. Blecch." She stuck out her tongue and crossed her eyes, shuddering. "But I know you don't want me around all the time. And it's not like I am not happy to go spend time with my friends. Believe me, I _do_ have better things to do than spend time with my father and his girlfriend, thank you very much," she said teasingly, the mood lightening.

I laughed at the face she'd made and her little speech. "Thanks, Maggie." I flipped on the gas burner and let it heat before drizzling in the olive oil. "Now, hand me the garlic and onion, and I'll show you how to make sauce from scratch."

Maggie took direction from me surprisingly well, and we had a pan of lasagna nearly finished when Edward finally came in the room.

"Hey, when did you get home?" he asked Maggie, pressing a kiss to the top of her head.

"About an hour ago."

"How did your call go?" I asked, sprinkling cheese over the lasagna and then glancing up at him as he walked over to me.

"Crisis averted," he said, smiling at me and brushing his lips against mine briefly.

"Anything major?"

He shook his head. "No, just a concern about a VIP patient and confidentiality. I think everything's been clarified."

"Good."

"So, what are you two up to?" he asked. "I disappear into the library and when I come out, my two favorite people in the world are making me dinner. What on earth happened?"

"Who says this is for you?" I teased him. "Maybe Maggie and I made it for ourselves."

"Ooh, rough," he joked. "No love from my girlfriend. How about you, Maggie? Will you share with me?"

"Nope." She grinned at him and shook her head. "I'm with Bella on this one."

"Not even if I set the table and do the dishes after?"

Maggie crossed her arms and shook her head no again. "Nope."

Edward pretended to frown. "Can you be bribed with ice cream?"

She looked over at me and shrugged. "I dunno, what do you think, Bella?"

I laughed at their teasing banter, loving so much that I was included in it now. "Yeah, I suppose, but it better be chocolate."

"Excellent," Edward said. "Chocolate ice cream coming right up." He swiped his keys from the basket by the door and waved as he left. "I'll be back in a few."

"Well done," Maggie said with an enormous grin. "I think we work well together."

I knew she was mostly referring to the fact that we'd talked Edward into getting us ice cream, but it still made a lump rise in my throat. "Yeah, me, too."

We finished making the lasagna, and I slipped it into the oven. "If we really want to do this right, we can make garlic bread and a salad, too."

"Okay," she agreed. We worked on that and it wasn't until we heard the garage door open that Maggie spoke about Heidi again. She took a deep breath and nodded once, her voice serious and determined-sounding. "I think I'm going to call my mom this week. See how it goes."

"That sounds like a great idea," I encouraged her. "I hope it goes well."

"Yeah, me, too," she said softly.

**~BtBR~**

The three of us ate dinner and watched a movie together that evening. It was easy and relaxed, without any of the awkwardness that had weighed down some of our earlier times together. After the movie, Maggie disappeared into her room after saying goodnight to both of us.

The news was on, but Edward and I were only half-paying attention to it. Instead, I told him about the earlier conversation with Maggie.

"Maybe I should leave you two alone more often," he said, only half joking. "You seem to be a good influence."

I shrugged. "I'd like to be. I just hope it doesn't come back to bite me in the ass. What if she talks to her mother, it goes badly, and she blames it on me?"

"Then we'll deal with it. _Together_." Edward's words echoed the ones I'd told him the previous weekend as we left my parents' house and I nodded. He was right.

"Okay."

"Now, let's go up to the bedroom. Together," he joked.

I had nearly forgotten that I was spending the night, and my anxiety grew. "I'm nervous," I admitted.

"I know. She'll be fine."

We turned off the TV and went upstairs. I glanced warily at Maggie's door as we passed it. I could hear music playing in her room, and I wondered how she felt about the fact that I was staying. Edward ushered me into his room and locked the door behind us.

We were both quiet as we got ready for bed. When we were done, he lay down and held out his arm to me. "Come here."

I slid into bed and tucked myself against his chest, trying to tamp down my nerves.

"This is just one more step we're taking, Bella," he reminded me. "We're doing well so far, just try to relax."

"I'm trying."

"Trust me," he whispered, his lips against my hair.

"I trust you," I said, threading my fingers through his and letting the anxiety slip away.

Edward was right, no matter how Maggie reacted in the morning, we could deal with it.

**~BtBR~**

In the morning, I awoke with my head on Edward's chest, my thigh thrown over his. I burrowed closer and muttered sleepily as the alarm grew louder. Edward groaned and reached out to hit snooze. We dozed until the alarm sounded again, and Edward turned it off. He sat up with another groan, and I propped myself on my elbow, looking up at him. He gave me a sleepy half-smile as he got out of bed, heading toward the bathroom.

It wasn't until we were both in the shower together that I remembered that Maggie was here. I stiffened against Edward and he paused in the middle of washing my shoulder. "What is it?" he asked.

"I forgot Maggie was here," I said.

He chuckled and continued to move his hands in slow circular motions, working his way down my back. "Are you worrying again?"

"Yes," I admitted.

He pressed a kiss to my temple, discarded the soapy washcloth on the shower shelf, and turned me to face him. His palms cradled my face, and I saw the concerned expression in his green eyes. "Bella, it's going to be okay. The absolute worst case scenario is that Maggie will be upset, and if that happens, we'll work through it."

"You're right, you're right," I admitted. "I'm sorry, I'm being ridiculous. I just … I care about you both, and I hate the idea of making her uncomfortable. I want her to like me."

"It's wonderful that you care so much about her. That is one of the best feelings in the world for me. Last night when I saw the two of you in the kitchen making dinner … Jesus, Bella, do you know what that was like for me?" He brushed his lips over mine. "I can't tell you what it meant to me to see that. But I don't expect things to run perfectly smoothly. We're going to have some bumps along the way; that's called life with a sixteen-year-old."

"So what do I do?" I asked.

"Exactly what you've been doing. Include Maggie in things, get to know her, and trust me to navigate when it gets rough." He smiled. "Maybe try to worry a little less."

I laughed and wrapped my arms around him. "Yeah. I'll work on that last part."

"Besides, when I brought it up to her last week, she just kind of shrugged, rolled her eyes, and said 'whatever'. Granted, in teenager speak, that could mean any number of things, but I think she would have been pretty vocal about it if she hated the idea."

I nodded and took a deep breath. His soapy, wet body slid against mine as he rested his cheek on the top of my head. "I love that you care so much about Maggie's feelings, just try to remember how far we've already come."

"That's true."

"So, I suggest we finish showering, get ready, and have breakfast. Maggie's usually up in another half hour or so, and leaves for school around when I leave for work."

Trying to take Edward's advice to heart, I pushed myself to remain calm as I got ready. Edward was dressed, although he hadn't yet put on his suit jacket and tie when we headed down to the kitchen together. Maggie was still asleep, and we were drinking our coffee when she stumbled down the stairs.

Her hair was a mess, and she only had one eye open as she headed straight for the fridge, pouring herself a glass of orange juice and gulping it down. Edward shook his head, and from his expression, I took it to mean this was nothing new. She flung herself onto the stool by the counter and propped her head on her hand, staring at us both blearily.

"I hate exam week," she muttered.

"Good morning to you, too," Edward said.

She gave him a half-hearted smile. "Morning, Dad. Morning, Bella."

I let out the breath I'd been holding. "Morning, Maggie."

Edward reached over and squeezed my hand before he stood up. "Eggs or cereal this morning, Mags?"

"Ehh, cereal I guess," she said. "I'm not that hungry."

"Okay." He turned to look at me. "Bella?"

"Oh, cereal's fine. That's what I usually have during the week," I said.

We all ate breakfast together. Maggie was pretty quiet, but from the sleepy expression and lethargic manner, I took that to mean she was tired rather than upset. When we were all done eating, she ran upstairs to dress and get ready for school. Edward and I went up to brush our teeth, and I watched him neatly knot his tie as I stuffed things into my overnight bag.

"You should be illegal in a suit," I said after he shrugged on the jacket.

Edward laughed and looked at me through the mirror. "Illegal?" His lips turned up at the corners.

He turned to face me as I walked over to him, and I smoothed my hands over his lapels. "Yeah, you look too good."

He reached out and tugged me close, his hands low on my hips. Even through the fabric of my skirt, I could feel the heat from his skin. "Do you really think I feel any differently about you in that skirt and sweater?" he said.

I smiled up at him. "I hope not."

"Besides, I thought you liked me in jeans," he teased.

I shrugged. "Fine, I'll admit it. I just find you incredibly sexy, no matter what you're wearing."

I brushed my lips across his, and he was still chuckling as we left the bedroom and went downstairs. I was just about to leave when Maggie came down, looking much more pulled together and alert.

"Bye, Bella," she said, rummaging around in her backpack as I headed out the door.

"Bye, Maggie," I said. "Good luck on your exams."

"Thanks." She looked up and made a face. "I can't wait until Friday. That's my last day before winter break."

I smiled sympathetically at her. "It'll go fast. Just concentrate on getting through exams, and it'll be over before you know it."

She hoisted her backpack on her shoulder and nodded. "I know, I just think exams are stupid."

I laughed. "Not going to argue with you there."

We walked out into the garage together, Edward helping me carry my bags. He kissed Maggie goodbye, and she waved at both of us as she pulled out of the driveway. Once she was gone, Edward gave me a slow, lingering kiss goodbye.

I headed to work, feeling immensely grateful that spending the night hadn't set my developing relationship with Maggie back. Although, I didn't think for a moment that it would all be smooth sailing. With her about to try to rebuild her relationship with Heidi, I was sure there would be some rough days still to come.

* * *

**Notes:** Lots more progress for them, don't you think? Bella and Alice have mended things, and she's eager to meet Edward. Bella and Maggie had some bonding time, and Maggie seems to be okay with Bella spending the night. I can't wait to hear your thoughts on the chapter!

p.s. If you weren't already reading my story "The Life of a Wedding Photographer" head over and check it out! It's complete now, and it's a fun little E&B romance with a bit of a mystery.

I have a Facebook group called Discordia's Library. If you'd like to join, add me as a friend on FB, and let me know you'd like to be added to the group.

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	28. Chapter 27 - The Marketing Department

**Notes:** Huge thanks to my pre-readers: Grnidgirl, ShellShock, and Jules Twifanawesomesox; my beta: Alice's White Rabbit; and my Validation beta: Totoro These ladies have been busting their butts to keep up with my frantic pace lately, and I love them so hard for it!

This is a HUGE chapter, both in terms of word count, and what's happening. Enjoy!

* * *

**Chapter 27: The Marketing Department**

The following two days passed quickly, and Tuesday afternoon, when I packed up my desk, I felt a funny little lump in my throat. I'd had the same job for five years; it was going to be strange starting fresh at a new position. Tanya helped me carry the boxes to my car and gave me a sad smile when they were loaded in the back seat.

"I'm gonna miss you."

I frowned and reached out to hug her. "Oh, hun, I'm just going upstairs. And once you graduate next spring, you'll be headed to a different department, too."

"I know." She shrugged as she pulled back. "It's just not going to be the same."

I nodded. "Yeah, I know. I'm pretty nervous about starting tomorrow."

"Don't be; you're amazing, and I know you're going to do so well."

"Thanks. I do feel awful that I'm leaving you to deal with Amber and Liz."

Tanya laughed and rolled her eyes. "Oh, I can handle them."

"I know you _can_. It just sucks that you have to."

"The new girl seems nice," Tanya said. "I'm just going to miss having you there."

"Yeah, I'm going to miss that, too."

We hugged again and then went our separate ways. On the drive home, I found myself feeling a little wistful. I was eager to start my new job, but there was something a little sad about the old one ending.

On Wednesday morning, I dressed carefully and spent extra time getting ready. I got a text from Edward wishing me good luck at the new job, and there was a spring in my step as I grabbed the leather bag from Tanya, a small tote with things I wanted for my new desk, and my lunch.

It felt strange as I walked into the building and headed upstairs instead of straight ahead to registration. I saw Tanya wave as I passed, and it was an odd feeling to see the new girl, Bree, sitting at what had been my desk.

I also passed Edward, who was waiting in the lobby. "Good morning, Bella," he said with a wide smile.

"Morning, Edward."

It was nothing out of the ordinary, really, and we hadn't made plans to eat lunch together until the following day, but it was nice to know that the hiding was over. We weren't going to flaunt our relationship to the world, but we weren't going to hide it either.

I was happy but a little nervous when I stepped into the marketing office. The receptionist greeted me with a warm smile and introduced herself when I told her my name.

"Welcome to the department, my name's Tina. Don't hesitate to ask if you have any questions."

"Thank you." I smiled warmly at her, appreciating her friendly welcome.

"Let me take you in to Diane; she'll get you started."

I followed her down the carpeted hallway and into a large open area. It was a massive space, with windows on two sides. It was filled with cubicles, but rather than looking dark and drab, it was filled with light and seemed colorful and welcoming. There were drafting tables and large conference tables scattered throughout, and I could see that it was pretty clearly divided between the graphics design and the communications sections. Still, they had open access to each other, and it seemed like the layout would foster teamwork between the two.

At the end of the room were several offices, one of which I noticed belonged to Jasper. Tina stopped in front of Jasper's office, spoke with his secretary, and then introduced me to several people. I tried to focus on all of the names and keep them straight but knew I'd probably forget them by the end of the day.

Diane and Jasper stepped out of his office after a moment, and both greeted me warmly.

"Welcome, Miss Swan," Jasper said. "We're excited to have you on board. I hate to say hi and run, but I have a meeting. Diane will help you get acquainted with the office."

"Thank you. I'm excited to be here."

Jasper grinned broadly and nodded, knowing I was talking about more than just the job opportunity.

"Are you ready to get started, Bella?" Diane asked when he left.

"Absolutely."

She showed me to my cubicle first, and I put down my bags. I grabbed a notepad and pen to take with me and took a few notes as she showed me around the rest of the office. She introduced me to everyone on the team who was in the office that day, and before I knew it, it was time for lunch.

Edward and I texted each other while I ate in the marketing break room, and I chatted with a few people who stopped to say hi as they came in to eat. I couldn't wait for the next day when Edward and I would eat together.

The afternoon was just as busy as the morning. I tried to absorb all of the new information and get a feel for the people I'd be working with. Everyone seemed friendly and welcoming, though very busy, and I was eager to start working. I took a little time to set up my workspace and went through the packet of information Diane had given me. By the end of the day, I was mentally exhausted but thrilled that the first day had gone so well.

Diane and I walked out of the office together, waving goodbye to Tina as we passed.

"Tomorrow will be a little more hands-on," she explained. "I'd like you to shadow me for the next week or so, and just get a feel for what I do. I think that'll help you get acquainted with things."

"That sounds great," I said honestly. "I am really excited about this."

She smiled warmly at me. "We're excited to have you on the team."

**~BtBR~**

The next morning, I observed Diane's work and even sat in on a meeting with her. There was a new hospital campaign about stroke awareness, and they were brainstorming ideas for it. The dynamic, creative energy was so exciting to me; I was absolutely brimming with excitement by the time lunch rolled around. I'd even contributed one or two well-received suggestions.

When we took a break, I checked my phone and found that Edward had just texted me.

_Are we on for lunch?_

I took a deep breath and replied. _Yes. Where are we going to eat?_

His reply came instantly. _I'll meet you up in Marketing. _

I kept myself busy checking my work email while I waited for him, and just a few minutes later, he arrived.

_Holy shit, this is it,_ I thought. _The moment we've been waiting for, for almost four months._

He leaned on the edge of my cubicle, and I saw several women peer around the corner at him.

"Ready for lunch?" he asked, his tone casual. I could see the more serious concern in his eyes. He knew that I was nervous but didn't reach out to touch me since we were trying to keep the PDA to a minimum.

"Yep, one sec," I said. I closed out of my email and logged off my computer, grabbing my phone as I stood up. "How was your morning?" I asked.

"A couple of meetings and a conference call that I thought would never end," he answered as we walked through the office. I could see people staring at us curiously. Even though we were walking side by side, there was nothing to indicate that we had a relationship beyond work colleagues or friends.

"That's frustrating," I replied.

He nodded. "How was yours?"

I grinned at him. "Fantastic. I really think I'm going to love working here."

I told him about the morning meeting as we walked to the department's break room. I snagged my lunch out of the refrigerator, and he put his own bag on the table. He held out my chair for me as I took a seat, and my heart sped up at the sweet gesture. He took a seat beside me, and we did our best to ignore the people scattered around the room.

He heated up leftover lasagna from Sunday night and brought it to our table, his knee brushing my thigh as he sat down again.

The salad and yogurt I'd packed for my lunch was light enough that I was able to eat despite my nerves. Edward and I did our best to make small talk, but I knew we were both hyperaware of every other person in the room. They cleared out as they finished their lunches, until there was just a young guy from the graphics design team in the room. He had his nose buried in a sci-fi novel and seemed engrossed in it, not paying any attention to my lunch date with Edward.

Edward turned to me, angling his head toward mine, and spoke lowly. "How are you doing?"

"Nervous, but okay," I said, discreetly reaching under the table to squeeze his hand. "It's just going to take some getting used to."

He gave me a crooked grin, once again speaking in a voice so low that no one but me could hear. "I could pin you against that counter, and we could christen this room like we did the one downstairs. It might help you relax."

I felt a flush of heat go through me at his words, and I shook my head, stabbing the last tomato in my salad a little more viciously than I intended. "You are _evil_."

He smirked and smoothed down his tie, drawing my attention to it. I blinked at him. "That's the tie you wore that night in the break room, isn't it?"

Edward's eyes danced with amusement. "It might be."

I shook my head and brushed my fingertips across the silk. "Did you figure I'd be so turned on I wouldn't be nervous?"

"I thought it was worth a try."

I laughed and shook my head at him, packing up my salad container as I changed the subject. "I've been meaning to ask, how are exams going for Maggie?"

"Fine. She grumbles a lot, but she's been studying hard." He paused. "That reminds me, she called Heidi on Tuesday night."

"Oh," I said, surprised. "How did that go?"

"About like I expected. It was pretty uncomfortable for Maggie, and she was emotional after, but she agreed to spend the night at Heidi's tonight. We'll see how it goes."

"I'm glad she's trying."

Edward nodded. "I am really proud of her. It's a big step for her to take. I just hope Heidi doesn't make things harder on her."

"Yeah, me, too."

We were both quiet for a few minutes. "Do you want to spend the night with me tonight?" Edward asked quietly. I glanced over at the guy across the room, but he had left already, so the room was empty.

"Yes," I said.

"Do you want to just plan to stay the weekend?" Edward asked. "The holiday party is Saturday, and I'd like your help getting the remaining things together for it."

I nodded. "Of course."

Edward rested his elbow against the top of my chair and brushed his thumb against my shoulder. "I heard back from everyone; it looks like just about everyone we invited will be coming."

"I'm excited," I said. "This will be a lot of fun."

He smiled warmly at me. "I think so, too. Would you help Maggie and me pick out a tree and decorate for Christmas?"

"I'd love to." I glanced at my phone and noticed that my lunch hour was winding down. "I should get back to my desk. I think Diane is going to show me some of the software they use this afternoon."

"Okay," Edward said, standing and holding his hand out to me. I took it and he squeezed my fingers in his. We walked toward the door, but he paused a few feet from it.

"This was really nice," he murmured, turning to face me. "I like being able to see you during the day and spend time with you."

I smiled up at him, my heart feeling warm and full. "It was. It's such a relief to be out in the open. I can't believe we really made it to this point."

He stepped just a fraction closer, and I could smell his familiar cologne. "I know. I feel like I can do anything with you by my side."

"Oh, Edward," I said softly. "I feel that way, too. I love you so much."

"And I love you," he whispered back.

He brushed his lips across my cheek, and we headed out into the hall. He dropped my hand with one final squeeze as we walked back toward my desk. Once again, there were a few curious glances from my new coworkers, but once he left with a quiet "have a good day," they got back to their work.

Diane came to my cubicle a short while later and introduced me to some of the software programs they used. Many I'd used in school before, but she showed me some specific examples of projects they'd worked on and how the communications and graphics design teams collaborated using them.

Once again, the day went quickly. To my surprise, I ran into Pat, Edward's assistant, as I headed toward registration to see Tanya on my way out. Pat gave me a pleasant smile when she saw me. I realized with a start that I'd hardly seen her since Edward told her about our relationship. I wondered if it had been intentional.

"Congratulations on the new job," Pat said cheerfully, pushing her greying hair over her shoulder as she adjusted her purse.

"Thank you so much. I'm really enjoying it."

"It seems like it'll be good for everyone."

I smiled at her, knowing exactly what she was referring to. "Yes, I think so."

"How's your new boss?"

"Mr. Whitlock seems great." She nodded and gave me a knowing smile, and I added, "I like Mr. Cullen better though."

She laughed at my joke and patted my shoulder. "I should hope so. I'm very happy for you."

"We're happy, too," I said.

Pat smiled. "Believe me, I'm well aware of how Mr. Cullen is doing. He's been happier in the past four months than I've seen him in the many years I've worked for him. I know what a large part you have to play in that."

I swallowed hard, so pleased that she saw the change in him and that she supported our relationship. "Thank you for helping us," I said. "We couldn't have gotten here without you."

She nodded. "I was glad to be able to do that for you both."

Pat excused herself and headed out of the building as I continued in to see Tanya. She greeted me with a big hug, and the office was quiet enough that we had a few minutes to talk. I caught a couple of resentful scowls from Liz and Amber but chose to ignore them.

"How'd it go today?" she asked.

"It was good. Very low-key, but it felt great to be out of hiding," I admitted.

We talked for a few more minutes before she had to go back to work, and I left her with a wave to go home and pack for the weekend. Once packed, it took two trips to get everything out to my car, since I had casual clothing for the next few days, plus work clothing for Friday, and a dress for the holiday party on Saturday.

Edward helped me bring it all into his house when I got there.

"I feel like I'm moving in," I joked as we hauled it upstairs to his bedroom.

"I would love it if you could," he said. "Definitely too soon for Maggie, but we'll get there."

His tone was so casual, so sure, that I stumbled on the steps, grabbing the railing to steady myself. He was right, it was too soon for me to move in permanently, but the fact that he wanted me to at some point was an incredible feeling. "You're pretty sure of us," I said softly as he helped me hang the clothes in his closet.

He nodded. "I am."

**~BtBR~**

Maggie had left for Heidi's already, so Edward and I made dinner together and caught up on the rest of our day. As we finished eating, I told him about my conversation with Pat.

He grinned at me. "I love that woman. She's the best assistant I could ever ask for. I need to get her something spectacular for Christmas this year. Maybe I'll do a gift certificate for her and her husband to their favorite restaurant."

"You should throw in a spa day like the one you gave me," I suggested.

"Good suggestion." Edward leaned forward and kissed me briefly. "Now, I'll clean up if you want to make a list of what we have to do before the party Saturday.

I grinned. "You and your lists."

He just shrugged at me, and I went into the library and rummaged through his desk for a pad of paper and a pen. I joined him in the kitchen, and while he tidied up from dinner, we went through the things we needed to do for the party.

With a grin, I jotted down notes and made suggestions. In light of the huge step we'd taken today, this ordinary moment of domesticity, as Edward put dishes in the dishwasher and we planned a party together, felt so good. We had nearly finished when Edward's phone rang.

He glanced at it and chuckled. "It's my mother. I'll try to make it quick, but she tends to talk a lot."

"Mine, too." I commiserated and waved him off. He disappeared into the library, and I jotted a few more ideas down. I was startled when the door from the garage slammed open and turned to see Maggie's tear-stained face.

I stood up abruptly and reached for her, incredibly worried about what had happened. "What's going on? Are you okay, Maggie?"

"God, you're _always_ here," she snapped.

I pulled back in astonishment, stung by her words and the bitter tone. "Hey, that's uncalled for."

She scowled at me. "I'm sick of it. Why don't you just go home?"

I swallowed back the remark I really wanted to make, knowing that things had probably gone badly with Heidi, and she was just taking it out on me.

"If you need some time alone with your dad, tell me, but that was really rude, Maggie." I spoke firmly, but not unkindly. "You know I just want to help. Please don't speak like that to me again."

A remorseful look crossed her face, and she burst into tears. I was just about to go get Edward when Maggie flung herself into my arms, sobbing on my shoulder. For a moment, I just patted her back awkwardly, unsure of what she wanted me to do, but when her arms closed around me, I hugged her tightly. She reminded me so much of Alice when we were in high school.

"What happened tonight?" I asked softly, rubbing her back.

She just sobbed harder, and all I got from her mumbled words was that she was sorry. "C'mon, Maggie, talk to me," I coaxed her, leading her over to the kitchen table. She pulled back from me, wiping at her eyes with her sleeve as she took a seat. I sank into the one across from her.

"I went over to my mom's house tonight. We had dinner and talked for a little while." She sniffed. "It was kind of weird and awkward, but it seemed okay at first. She kind of explained some things, and I got to say what I needed to say, you know? And then _he_ showed up."

"Felix?" I asked quietly.

Maggie nodded and wiped the tears away again. "She just doesn't get it. I don't even want to see him, much less spend time with him. Especially the first time I see mom after not talking to her for almost two months, you know?"

I nodded. "Did you tell her that?"

She swallowed hard and shook her head. "No, um, I just kind of left."

"Oh, Maggie," I heard Edward say and we both turned to face him. He sank into the chair beside her and rubbed her back. "I'm sorry things went so badly tonight. You shouldn't have left like that though."

"I know," she admitted. "I just couldn't stand to be around him."

"Look, I'm not a big fan of Felix, either, but he is the man your mother is dating. You can talk to her about wanting to spend some time with her alone, but he probably isn't going anywhere. Whether you like him or not, you should at least try to be polite and respectful. Just think about how much better things have gotten since you've given Bella a chance. Maybe you should try that with Felix," he pointed out gently.

Maggie burst into tears again, and Edward resumed rubbing her back, giving me a confused look. I shrugged helplessly, not really sure why she was crying again either. "I was mean to Bella." She sobbed. "I didn't mean to be, but I was really upset, and I said something awful."

"Maggie …" Edward said.

"I know," she wailed. "I didn't mean to, and I'm sorry."

I spoke up. "I know this is hard, Maggie. I don't know what the hell I'm doing here either. I don't expect you to be perfect; I just want you to try. I want to be able to help you when you're upset, but what you said earlier hurt my feelings."

She nodded sadly, lifting her tear-filled eyes to meet mine. "I really didn't mean it."

"I believe you; just promise that you'll try harder," I said softly. "I want us to have a good relationship."

She nodded and leaned forward to hug me. "I will. I _am_ sorry."

I hugged her back, and I caught a glimpse of the expression on Edward's face. He looked pleased, but there was something conflicted in his gaze. Maggie drew back and turned to him. "I know I'm in big trouble. I went against your rules when I was rude to Bella, and you're probably really mad at me."

Edward sighed and rubbed his jaw. "I'm not angry with you. I am a little disappointed; I thought we were beyond that. So, yes, I am taking your laptop away for a week. I think that's more than fair."

Maggie frowned, but she didn't argue. Edward continued, "I am proud of several things I saw tonight though. You apologized to Bella when you realized what you'd done, even before you knew I was listening. You also talked about what happened rather than just lashing out, _and_ you owned up to your mistakes and admitted that you deserved to be punished. I see real growth there. Therefore, we'll leave it at that for punishment. Now, of course it goes without saying that I want to see you continue to try your hardest. As you spend more time with your mother, I hope you'll be mindful of your manners and the way you treat both Bella and me. You have a trip with Jessica planned that's coming up soon, and that could be taken away. Just remember that."

"I will," Maggie promised.

"Now, most importantly, come give me a hug," Edward said, standing up. Maggie did as well, and his arms closed around her. He held her for a few minutes and then spoke against her hair. "I love you, Mags. I know this has been hard on you, but I am proud of you for trying to work things out with your mother."

"I love you, too, Dad," she muttered against his shirt before letting go.

"Okay, I think we better call your mom and let her know that you made it home safely, okay? I'm sure she's worried. And the three of us can talk a little bit about what to do about you spending some time with her without Felix around."

She nodded. "Okay."

They headed upstairs, and I just sat in the kitchen for a moment, a little stunned by everything that had transpired. I was still reeling, my brain trying to catch up. Things had been changing so fast lately, all of the little pieces of our lives coming together at once. Maggie's emotional turmoil on top of that was exhausting, but Edward was right, she had made huge progress.

Eventually, I got up, locked the door, and turned out the lights in the house, figuring we were all in for the evening. I went upstairs and curled up on the bed with a book. I could hear the low murmur of conversation from Maggie's room and hoped their talk was going well. I was glad that I had been a part of the earlier talk they had, but I had no problem leaving the two of them to deal with Maggie's mother alone. The further I stayed from Heidi, the better.

At least she had absolutely nothing to hold over our heads anymore though, I mused to myself. I was out of Edward's department, and we were free to date.

I tried to read as I waited for Edward to finish up with Maggie, but found myself nodding off, my eyes growing heavier as I turned the pages. A while later, I felt a hand on my thigh, and I blinked up at Edward in surprise. "Hey," he said softly.

I yawned and sat up, tucking the bookmark into the page I'd been on when I fell asleep. It had landed on my chest when I'd dozed off, so at least I hadn't lost my page. "Hey, how'd it go?"

"Better than I expected," Edward said, getting up and setting what I assumed was Maggie's laptop on his dresser. He pulled the bedroom door shut and locked it.

"I'm exhausted," I said. "I want to get ready for bed, but tell me what happened while I do."

"Okay," he agreed as he followed me into the bathroom. "Well, Heidi was really worried about Maggie leaving like that. She actually called me three times while we were talking to Maggie in the kitchen."

I nodded, unable to respond since I was in the middle of brushing my teeth, and he continued. "Apparently, Felix's visit was unplanned. Heidi didn't invite him over, and he didn't realize Maggie would be there."

I spat out my toothpaste. "That's good."

Edward nodded. "I agree. Maggie told her mom how much it bothered her that he was there, and Heidi agreed that the two of them would spend some time alone. Maggie's going to go back over on Sunday, and then spend Christmas Day with Heidi. She will be with me for Christmas Eve."

I rinsed my toothbrush and set it on the counter. "God, I hadn't even thought about plans for Christmas yet. I can't believe it's next week."

"Me either, it's been a busy month," he admitted.

"My family usually celebrates on Christmas Eve," I said. "My dad works Christmas Day so the guys at the station with little kids can be home. Would you and Maggie like to come with me this year?"

He smiled down at me. "I'd love that. Will you spend Christmas Day with me? Maybe the three of us can open gifts here in the morning. And when she heads to Heidi's, we can go to my parents' house."

"If Maggie's okay with all of that, yes, of course."

Edward drew me close and kissed me softly. "Our first Christmas together."

"Definitely not our last," I promised.

**~BtBR~**

On Friday morning, Maggie came downstairs to have breakfast with us. She was a little less groggy than she had been on Monday, and she was looking forward to the free day at school. Exams were over, and they had nothing but holiday parties and movies to look forward to. I smiled, remembering my own high school days and how teachers gave up the last day before break, unable to keep the students focused on anything.

Edward and I headed into work, arriving in separate cars around the same time. We met in the lobby and spoke for a few minutes before he squeezed my hand, and we went our separate ways. I caught a glimpse of several people staring at us with open-mouthed expressions of shock. I rolled my eyes and continued upstairs to my new department.

The moment I was at my desk and logged into my computer, Diana arrived with a cup of coffee for me and a full morning laid out for us.

I worked hard, trying to absorb everything she was teaching me, diligently taking notes as I went. I wanted so badly to excel and prove to everyone how much I deserved this job. Jasper was in and out all morning, but he took a moment to check in and see how I was doing. I reassured him it was going very well and got back to work with Diane.

Once again, Edward met me for lunch, but this time, we decided to go eat in the small café in the building. It was open to the public, but many employees ate there, too. We selected our food and took a seat at a table. We were both aware of the eyes that followed us and the whispered conversations that seemed to spring up around us. I decided to ignore them all, instead focusing on my tomato basil soup and half a turkey artichoke sandwich. Edward seemed to be doing the same thing with his roast beef sandwich, and we made small talk about unimportant things as we ate.

Eventually, focus drifted away from us, and I let out a sigh of relief. "Are you okay?" he asked quietly.

I nodded. "Yep, just trying to get used to the idea that we're creating a big fuss just by eating lunch together."

He chuckled and nodded. "It would be nice to think that people had better things to do with their time than speculate about their co-workers' personal lives, but sadly, gossip is practically a staple around here."

"True." Still, no one had approached us to say anything, and no one was openly glaring or giving us disapproving looks. I'd take what I could get. Edward and I kept the topic of our conversation away from personal things, just in case anyone was eavesdropping.

By the time we finished our meal, we were both more relaxed, and we walked out of the café hand in hand. He walked me to my desk again and left a few minutes later. Diane joined me soon after, and sat down in the chair next to mine.

She spoke quietly. "May I ask a personal question?"

"Sure," I replied, startled.

"Are you dating Mr. Cullen?"

I nodded, dread coiling in my stomach as I worried what her reaction would be like. I hadn't even thought about what might happen if she disapproved. "I am."

She flushed. "I'm sorry, I probably shouldn't have asked. It's just … no one has seen him date anyone since his divorce. I … I was curious. That was rude of me though, and I shouldn't have pried."

"It's okay," I assured her, glad that she didn't seem to have a problem with it. I could live with curiosity. "Yes, we are dating. It's … very new."

That was sort of splitting hairs. Three months wasn't exactly new, but the public part of our relationship was, and I wasn't about to tell my new boss that I'd been sleeping with my former superior.

"You'll probably get quite a few curious looks from people around here," she said. "Don't hesitate to tell me if you feel like anyone is out of line though. Obviously, I hope you will try to deal with it on your own, but if it becomes problematic, come to me. I like to encourage employees to deal with any personal issues on their own first but not to hesitate to come to me for assistance."

"That sounds fair," I said.

We went back to discussing work, and Diane left me with a stack of papers to read through so I could get caught up on the campaigns the department was currently working on. She had meetings all afternoon, and I would have plenty to occupy myself with while she was gone.

I got to work reading and was startled when my cell phone rang a short while later, and I saw it was Tanya.

"Everything okay?" I asked quietly.

"Just a head's up. Liz knows about you and Edward, and she is pitching a fit."

"Oh for fuck's sake," I muttered. "Seriously?"

"Yeah, she heard about you two having lunch together, and she hurried right over to Jane's office."

"What the hell is Jane going to do? She isn't even my manager anymore."

Tanya sighed. "I have no idea. Just wanted to let you know."

"I appreciate it. Thanks."

We both hung up, and I set my phone on my desk, burying my head in my hands. I had thought maybe we'd get out of this without too much of a fuss being made, but apparently, that wasn't going to be the case.

I managed to make it through the afternoon and focus on my work, but at twenty to five, my work phone rang. It was Jane.

"How is the new job going?" Jane asked.

"It's going well. I'm very happy here, thanks," I replied. I sat back in my chair, crossing my legs, as I wondered if she was actually calling about the situation with Liz.

"Would you have a few moments to come over and talk to me when you're done at five?"

"Sure."

"First of all, I'd like to tell you that you aren't in any sort of trouble. I just wanted to discuss an issue a former co-worker of yours has with you."

"Okay," I said warily. "I'll be there as soon as I can after I wrap up at five."

"Thanks, Bella," she said.

I hung up the phone and marked my place where I was reading with a sticky note. I knew I wasn't going to be able to get back to work, and with just fifteen minutes left, I didn't feel too bad about it. I tidied up my desk and deleted a few unnecessary emails. At five, I packed up my things and got up to head across the street to Jane's office.

"Have a good weekend, Bella!" a cheerful voice called out, and I smiled at the blonde woman sitting at the cubicle next to mine who was getting ready to leave as well. Her name was Sarah, and she was in her early thirties, but that was all I knew about her.

"Thanks; you, too."

"I'm sorry I haven't made more of an effort to say hi," she apologized. "It's been a crazy week for me. But maybe next week, after the holidays, we could all get together and have lunch. I can help you get to know more of the people in the department."

"That would be fantastic," I said. "I've been kind of overwhelmed trying to take everything in, and I haven't been as outgoing as I normally would be."

"Oh, that's okay," she said, as we walked out of the office. "I just thought it might be a good way for you to get to know everyone."

"Yeah, that would be great."

"I worked really closely with Diane, so now that you're taking her spot, we'll probably be working together a lot."

I smiled warmly at her. "I look forward to it."

She smiled back and hesitated a moment before speaking. "So, um, are you dating the guy you had lunch with the last couple of days?"

"Yes," I said, bracing myself for Sarah's reaction. _Why are people so goddamn nosy?_ I wondered.

"He's a V.P. here, right?" she questioned. Sometimes, I forgot what a huge place this was and that not all departments had as much interaction with Administration as my former one had.

I nodded. "Yeah, his name is Edward Cullen. He's V.P. of Patient Relations."

"He's hot," she blurted out, and I laughed.

"Yeah," I agreed. "Really nice guy, too."

"Cool," she said. "You guys are cute together."

"Thanks. That's really nice to hear," I said, feeling utterly relieved at the way the conversation had gone. I had a feeling I was really going to like working with Sarah.

We wished each other a Merry Christmas and went our separate ways; she headed out to the parking garage, and I went across the street to speak with Jane. I sent Edward a quick text as I waited for the elevator, letting him know I'd be leaving work a little bit later than I'd originally planned.

My nerves built a little as I knocked on Jane's door. She smiled as she let me in, but I could see some concern in her eyes.

Jane took a seat and directed me to sit in the chair next to hers rather than the one across the desk. She smiled reassuringly at me. "I want you to relax, Bella. I'm not upset with you, and you have nothing to worry about."

"Okay," I said warily. "What is this about exactly?"

"It was brought to my attention today by one of your former co-workers that you and Edward Cullen are in a relationship."

"That's true," I admitted. "Is there a problem with that?"

"No," Jane said. "Not precisely. You two work in separate departments now, so there's no issue there."

"Okay."

"I just wanted to be sure that you were aware of the situation."

"I'm well aware that a lot of people are speculating about me dating Edward and about the age difference."

Jane smiled reassuringly at me. "Neither of those things are anyone's business and have no impact on your work. I spoke with someone in H.R. about it; you have nothing to be concerned about in that regard. The opinion of the person I spoke to was that there was no conflict of interest, given that you are in separate departments now."

I nodded and she continued, "We have a number of couples who work here at Providence, it's hardly unusual to meet your partner at work. I met my girlfriend here."

I looked up at her in surprise. I hadn't even known Jane was a lesbian, much less that her partner worked at Providence.

Jane glanced at me for a moment before she spoke. "There has, of course, been some speculation about how long you've been dating." I opened my mouth to comment, but she waved me off. "That is none of my business. I trust that there was nothing to be concerned about as far as any coercion in your relationship, right?"

"Absolutely not," I said firmly.

"Then, I don't need to know about when you began dating," Jane said. "Personally, I would advise keeping things tasteful here at work, but I think that's true of anyone dating someone in the same company, and I know you're the kind of person who would be discreet."

I tried to hide my wince, thinking of the time Edward and I fucked in the break room. That had hardly been discreet, but I was glad she had such a high opinion of me. "Of course," I said. "Thank you."

Jane nodded. "I spoke with Emily about this, of course," she said, referring to the director of the department, "and we've taken care of the situation with Liz. We're well aware that she likes to gossip, and we've reminded her that she's on thin ice. We've had a number of complaints about her from other departments and a few from within as well."

"Oh," I said, surprised. "What was she even trying to accomplish?"

Jane shook her head. "I have no idea. Unfortunately, she seems to like to stir up trouble, and she has a tendency to drag Amber in as well."

"Yes, I've noticed that," I admitted. "Tanya and I have both struggled to deal with them."

Jane chuckled. "Tanya was your staunch supporter today. When Liz marched over here to tell us all about your relationship with Edward Cullen, Tanya made sure to call me to reassure me that you and Edward had done nothing wrong."

I smiled, imagining her protective fury. "She's a loyal friend."

"And an excellent employee," Jane pointed out. "If all of my employees could be like the two of you, I'd have a much easier job."

I chuckled and Jane stood. I did as well, and she smiled reassuringly at me. "I hope I didn't worry you," she said. "I just wanted to be sure that you were aware of what happened, and that it has been dealt with. You shouldn't have any further trouble from Liz Harper."

"Thank you," I said sincerely. "I appreciate that."

"You're welcome." Jane smiled warmly at me. "Have a good evening, and enjoy the long holiday weekend."

"Same to you," I said.

I left her office, feeling relieved by her reassurances that I had nothing to worry about when it came to Liz.

I was lost in thought as I made my way toward the parking lot, still a little stunned by everything that had happened that day. When a voice said my name, I lifted my head to see the last person I'd expected to run into.

"Heidi!" I gasped.

"I'd like to talk to you," she said.

_Oh, for the love of everything holy,_ I thought to myself. _What else am I going to have to deal with today? This is getting ridiculous.\_

* * *

**Notes:** Well, what did you think? Bella started her new job, she and Edward are out, Liz threw a hissy fit about it, and now I've left you on an evil cliffhanger with Heidi.

Not to mention what happened with Maggie. I am really dying to hear your thoughts on everything, but especially about Maggie's breakdown. How do you think Bella did handling the situation? And are you proud of Maggie for turning to Bella, after she realized that she was wrong in lashing out?

I have a Facebook group called Discordia's Library. If you'd like to join, add me as a friend on FB, and let me know you'd like to be added to the group.

Please stop by to chat or look for teasers in the following places:

Facebook: www*facebook*com/DiscordiaWriter

Facebook Group: Discordia's Library

Twitter: DiscordiaWrites

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	29. Chapter 28 - The Market

**Notes:** Huge thanks to my pre-readers: Grnidgirl, ShellShock, and Jules Twifanawesomesox; my beta: Alice's White Rabbit; and my Validation beta: Totoro

Well, half of you are convinced Heidi is going to stir up trouble, and the other half think she might have something nice to say about Bella. And all of you want to strangle me for the cliffhanger! I did get called an evil genius, so that was nice to hear!

Without further ado, Heidi and Bella's conversation.

* * *

**Chapter 28: The Market**

I glowered at Heidi and spoke sharply. "If you want to stir up trouble about my relationship with Edward, I want to tell you it won't work. I don't have the patience to deal with your bullshit, and I have way too much going on right now. I'm tired, it's been a long day, and I really have no interest in your drama."

Her mouth dropped open, and she gaped at me for a moment before she spoke. I had never seen Heidi look so flustered and uncomfortable. "No, no, that isn't what I want," she insisted.

"What _do_ you want, then?" I asked coldly, crossing my arms.

"I … I wanted to say thank you." I blinked at her in shock and she continued. "I know you don't particularly like me, but I wanted to let you know I am grateful for all you've done with Maggie. She admitted you were the reason she spoke to me again."

"I just gave her a chance to talk about her feelings," I said a little more kindly, still struggling to grasp the fact that not only was Heidi not threatening me, she was being _nice_ to me. "Maggie contacted you because she finally felt ready."

Heidi looked away. "Yes, well, I know you played a part in that, and I'm very grateful. You have no reason to be nice to me." Her laugh was rueful and a little bitter. "After the way I acted the weekend of Halloween …"

"I didn't do it for you," I said bluntly. "I did it for _Maggie_."

"You care about my daughter," she said, scrutinizing me.

"Yes. I care about both Edward and Maggie. Look, I have no ulterior motive and no agenda. I just want them both to be happy."

An odd look crossed her face, her cool blue eyes suddenly far away. I stared at her for a long moment and cleared my throat.

"I … I should let you go," she said, turning her gaze back to me. "I just wanted to say thank you."

"You're welcome."

She nodded tightly at me and hurried away, her heels clicking on the tile floors. I glanced around, worried that someone had seen or heard our conversation, but the lobby was deserted. I heaved a sigh of relief and once more made my way out to the garage.

I mulled over the strange conversation as I drove to Edward's, and he could immediately tell that something was going on. "Are you all right?" he asked as he greeted me at the door.

"I've had the weirdest day," I said, setting my bag down on the bench by the door. "I … I don't even know what to make of it."

Edward kissed me briefly before taking my hand and leading me into the kitchen. "Come here."

He pulled a bottle of white wine out of the refrigerator, took two glasses out of the cupboard, and poured generous helpings into both. He headed toward the living room, glass in hand, and I followed. We got comfortable on the couch before he spoke again. "What happened?"

We both sipped our wine as I filled him in on everything that had happened since lunch.

"Jesus," he said when I finished. "I wish I'd been with you when you had to deal with all of that."

"Me, too." I drained the remainder of the wine in my glass. "What the hell was that with Heidi?"

Edward shrugged, looking just as bewildered as I was. "Honestly, I have no idea. She has seemed more sincere and willing to work _with_ me, rather than fight me the last few times we've spoken on the phone about Maggie. Maybe this experience has changed her."

"God, I hope so," I said. "For Maggie's sake. And for ours."

**~BtBR~**

Deciding we had done more than enough thinking about work for one day, Edward suggested we go out and get a few things for the party the following day and then go out to dinner. "I'd love that," I said.

He chuckled. "I wish I could do something a little more exciting for our first date out in Portland."

"Truthfully, I don't really care what we do," I said. "I just like knowing that we can be out in public together. Who knew grocery shopping would be something I would look forward to so much?"

Edward cupped my cheek in his hand and looked down at me, the expression in his eyes so warm and loving that I felt my heart skip a beat. He didn't say anything, just kissed me, but I knew exactly how he felt.

I ran upstairs to change into jeans and a sweater, and Edward did the same. "Jeans again?" I teased him.

He grinned at me and shrugged. "Well, I know you like them."

"I certainly do."

We left for the market Edward frequented, and I had a funny thrill of nerves as we walked into the store holding hands. It was simultaneously odd and wonderful to be out in public like this together. Even the small things, like which of us pushed the cart and deciding which brand to buy, felt significant. I caught a few curious looks from people as we passed and even one disapproving glare when Edward drew me close and kissed me. It was a chaste kiss, but I had no idea if it was the public display of affection or the age gap between us that the woman was judging. Either way, I didn't care. Too much had happened for me to feel insecure about my relationship with Edward.

What difference did it make if people I would never see again thought badly of my relationship? We had faced the disapproval of my father and one of my best friends and overcame it; these people didn't matter.

I focused on Edward instead. We teasingly argued over jars of roasted red peppers and the merits of different kinds of olive oil. We picked out wine and laughed when we couldn't decide on which variety; so we bought both.

_This_ was the part of our relationship that had been missing—the ordinary, everyday mundane tasks. Grocery shopping would lose its luster someday, but I hoped I'd never lose my appreciation for the fact that we could do it together.

After we were done at the market, we went to the mall. He needed more glassware and dishes for entertaining since he really hadn't done any since his split with Heidi. We picked them out together. It was a wonderful feeling knowing that not only did he want my input because he valued my opinion, but because he wanted them to be something we would use together in the future.

We also ended up picking out some additional Christmas decorations. He had inherited some from his mother, had bought some after the divorce, and had a few special ones from Maggie's childhood. However, since we were hosting the party, he wanted a few more decorations. All I owned was a tiny tabletop tree and a few ornaments, so it was fun to pick things out together.

When we were done shopping, we went to dinner together at a small restaurant that offered artisan pizzas, soups, and salads. It was good food but a casual atmosphere. Tucked in a booth in the back of the bustling restaurant, I was more wrapped up in Edward than what I was eating. I was dizzy by the time dinner was over, so incredibly in love with the man sitting across the table from me. "I love you," I blurted out, interrupting his conversation about Christmas traditions in his family.

He smiled at me and reached for my hand across the table. "I love you, too."

I wiped at my watery eyes. "Sorry, it just kind of hit me. The fact that we made it to this point is surreal."

"I can't believe you stuck with me through everything we've had to deal with," Edward said, leaning forward, his thumb rubbing across the back of my hand.

"It's all been worth it," I said firmly. "I'm just really happy right now."

"I am, too," he replied softly.

We headed home after dinner and were both surprised to see Maggie's car there. She had been at a friend's house, and her curfew wasn't for another few hours. I put away groceries while Edward went upstairs to check on her. He came down a short while later, and from his relaxed posture, I took it to mean that it wasn't anything serious.

"She okay?" I asked, setting a bag of flour on the counter. I wanted to get a couple of batches of cookies mixed up tonight so I wouldn't have so much to do the following day.

He nodded, leaning against the counter. "Just a minor squabble with one of her friends. I guess Lauren was ignoring her to text some boy, and Maggie got sick of it, so she came home."

"Oh, typical teenage stuff then," I said, relieved it wasn't anything more serious.

"Yes." Edward grabbed the bags of holiday decorations. "I'm going to put these in the living room for now, okay?"

"Sure. I am going to make some of the appetizers and cookies tonight. I'll get started on that now," I told him.

Edward helped me cook, and I smiled to myself as we fell into a comfortable rhythm. He'd occasionally pause to drop a kiss on the side of my neck or grasp my hips in his hands as he slid past me. Used to my parents' dynamic, where my mother cooked and my father watched sports in the living room, I realized how much I liked the fact that Edward wanted to share kitchen duties.

There was nothing wildly exciting about cooking together, but I liked knowing that he was just a few steps away. I watched his forearms flex as he chopped mushrooms and the muscles play under his button-down shirt as he reached up to grab a bowl for me. We teased each other a little as we worked, subtly brushing against each other when we could. Glances became heated, and as I washed the measuring spoons he'd used, I felt him come up behind me. He lifted my hair up off my neck and pressed a kiss to the skin right behind my ear. I felt the length of his body against mine, and I shivered at the feeling.

"What are you doing?"

"Touching you."

"I noticed," I said, smiling. He nibbled lightly at my neck, and I sighed and let my head fall forward. "You're very distracting."

"Mmm. You've been distracting _me_. I can't even focus."

I laughed softly. "We should finish up here."

"I want you. We can sneak upstairs and then come back down after," he coaxed me.

"We'll never make it back down," I pointed out.

Edward sighed and turned me around to face him. I snagged a towel to dry my hands, and I didn't protest when he dropped his lips to mine. The kisses were slow and sweet. His hand slid up under my hair to deepen the kiss, and I moaned quietly.

I was just about to tell him we could go up to the bedroom when we heard feet on the stairs.

"Damn it," Edward muttered and drew back, adjusting his semi-hard cock through his jeans. He groaned and shook his head at me. "Don't lick your lips like that when I'm trying to calm down, it really isn't helping."

I laughed, not even realizing I'd done it. "Sorry."

"I really wish we were alone right now," he sighed, and I nodded ruefully.

He slipped behind the island and leaned forward on it as Maggie came in the room. "Hey," she greeted both of us.

"Hey, Maggie," I said, a smirk playing on my lips at Edward's predicament. "How was your day?"

She shrugged and grabbed a carrot from the bag on the counter near her. I'd been washing and prepping veggies for the party. "Okay, I guess. School was fun; we didn't really do anything except have a bunch of holiday parties. Lauren was totally lame when we were all hanging out at her house though. She kept ignoring me for some guy she likes." She crunched the carrot, scowling.

"That's too bad," I said. "Well, I guess you'll know what not to do when you're dating someone."

Edward straightened up; clearly, the thought of Maggie dating had quelled any arousal he had. "Which will be when she's forty, of course."

Maggie rolled her eyes. "Whatever. All the boys in school are lame anyway."

"That's good," I said lightly. "It'll keep your father from having a heart attack like mine nearly did."

Edward chuckled, and Maggie shook her head at us both. "Whatever. If there was anybody worth dating, I'd be out with them instead of at home on a Friday night."

"We're not cool enough for you?" Edward asked teasingly.

"Um, no, definitely not." She paused and looked at me. "Well, maybe you are, Bella. But you lose cool points for dating my dad."

I laughed, and Edward shook his head at her. "Well, I know we're not very exciting, but if you want to help us get ready for the party tomorrow, you can."

"Sure, why not?" she said. "I don't have anything better to do."

The appetizers were prepped, and I showed Maggie the cookie recipes on my laptop. "If you want to make the double chocolate ones, I'll bake the batch of oatmeal cookies I have ready. Let me know if you need any help."

With Maggie here, the flirtatious teasing between Edward and I disappeared, but it was replaced by light-hearted banter and a warm contentment. Maggie might not have wanted to be hanging out with the two of us that night, but she took it in stride, and the three of us had fun together. Edward filched bits of dough and begged for a lick from the bowl, and we laughed a lot. In less time than I anticipated, things were ready for the party, and the kitchen was back to its usual state of tidiness.

After, Maggie disappeared up in her room, and Edward and I went to his. With the door locked, and some soft music playing, he made love to me. I was a little tense at first, slightly uncomfortable with Maggie a few rooms over, but Edward's kisses and touch slowly relaxed me. He whispered 'I love you' in my ear as he slid inside of me, and I bit my lip to hold back the groan that threatened to escape. When he began to move within me, it was slow and steady. With the covers over us, and just the dim light from the lamp on the nightstand, it was very intimate as he stared down at me.

Neither of us spoke much, and we muffled the sounds we made against each other's skin. When we came, it was with our eyes locked on each other, and we didn't have to say anything. Our expressions said it all.

**~BtBR~**

In the morning, rather than make breakfast, Edward suggested we go out. Still half-asleep, Maggie perked up once she was reminded that the place he wanted to go had her favorite pancakes.

She snoozed on the ride there, headphones jammed in her ears, and it felt so unbelievably right that I couldn't suppress the stupid grin on my face. The pancake place was great, and although I had an omelet, I swiped a bite or two of Edward's banana pecan pancakes, and Maggie even shared a bite of her chocolate chip pancakes with me. They were delicious, and I decided that the next time I was there, I'd say screw it and just get the pancakes myself.

While we ate, we planned our day together. The next stop was picking up a Christmas tree, and then we were going to go home and decorate it, and the rest of the house, for the party. Edward looked relaxed and content, and I could only imagine how he must feel if the three of us enjoying a morning together made me this happy. He mentioned it while Maggie was occupied texting her friend. "I love this," he said quietly. "I have wanted just this for so many years."

"I know," I said, squeezing his hand.

He leaned forward and kissed my cheekbone, briefly lingering there. I turned my head, wanting to kiss him on the lips, but Maggie's long-suffering sigh and bored tone quickly snapped me out of it. "If you two are done being gross, can we go get a Christmas tree?"

I laughed, and Edward gave his daughter a pointed look. "We will never be done being gross, but yes."

We followed her out to the car, and Maggie slid into the seat behind me. "So you're going to spend Christmas Day with us this year?" she asked.

"That's the plan, if you're okay with it," I said.

"Yeah, that's fine," she said, sounding completely relaxed about the idea. "It'll be nice."

"I'll be there then," I said, and Edward's warm hand covered mine, squeezing gently.

It was misting when we arrived at the Christmas tree farm on the outskirts of Portland, and Maggie was either very excited about the holidays or was hopped up on sugar from breakfast, because she tore ahead of us, looking more like a small child than a teenager.

Edward and I wandered, hand in hand, as we slowly followed her. In another pair of jeans, a wool pea-coat, and with his cheeks flushed from the cool, damp air, he looked far younger than his thirty-nine years. More than anything though, it was his expression that struck me; he looked content. The thought that I had played a part in bringing happiness to both Edward and Maggie made me feel better than anything else in the world.

The three of us eventually picked out a tree. Maggie kept eyeing ones too large to fit in even Edward's generously sized home, and they teased me about picking out Charlie Brown trees that were too scraggly to even consider. The one we eventually chose was just right, according to Edward, and looking at it, I had to agree.

Always the neat, tidy man, it was funny to see him spattered in mud as he helped the tree farm employees wrap it in old blankets and strap it to the roof of his car. We drove back to the house, flushed from the cold, while Christmas music played on the stereo.

Edward turned on some more holiday music when we got back, and I made hot chocolate while he and Maggie wrestled the tree into the house. He disappeared upstairs briefly to change, and Maggie and I unpacked the lights from the boxes they'd been stored in.

"Okay, who is ready to decorate?" Edward asked when he returned, and I could see the eagerness in his eyes. I tried to imagine Heidi spending a day tromping through muddy fields and decorating a Christmas tree … and failed. I wondered if he and Maggie had done it alone in the years prior to the divorce. The thought made me sad, and I stopped in my tracks and leaned over. I rested my arms on his shoulders as he knelt on the floor, replacing a burned out bulb in a strand of lights. I squeezed him as tightly as I could and pressed a kiss to the top of his head. A light flashed, and I blinked and looked up in surprise. It took me a moment to realize that Maggie had taken a picture of Edward and me. "You guys looked cute," she said, giving us a sheepish grin as if half-embarrassed to even admit it.

"Will you send me a copy?" I blurted out, and she nodded.

"Sure, what's your number?"

I gave it to her, and once it was in her phone, she texted the picture to me. Edward wanted a copy, too, so she sent it to him as well. I tucked my phone back in my pocket and looked over at her. "You know you can always call me if you ever need anything, right, Maggie?"

She was sitting on the floor, unwrapping ornaments, and she looked up at me. "Oh, thanks."

"Whatever it is, call me. I mean that," I said, and she nodded seriously.

"I'll remember that."

She turned away to fuss with the metal hanger on an ornament, and Edward looked up at me, tugging me down onto the floor next to him. He leaned in, resting his forehead against the crown of my head so he could whisper in my ear. His voice was a little hoarse, like he was choked up. "I love you so damn much."

I squeezed his hand and turned to kiss him briefly.

"I think I liked it better when you guys weren't disgustingly mushy around me," Maggie said, trying to sound grumpy. But there was something teasing in her voice and a twinkle in her eye.

I laughed, and Edward stood up to begin stringing the lights on the tree. Maggie directed their placement, and after a bit of pleading from her to do it just like he did when she was little, he put double the strands of lights on the tree. He wrapped a layer of white lights close to the trunk and then another set further out toward the edges of the branches. It made the tree look like it was lit from within, and when he was done, he took a seat on the floor between Maggie and me.

"Look," he said, pulling an ornament out of the box. "Your first ornament, Maggie."

She rolled her eyes at her father's sentimentality, but I took the glass ornament from him, inspecting it closely. It had the date and a baby's footprint etched into it. "This is beautiful," I said.

"My mother gave it to us," he said, standing to hang it on the tree.

As they unpacked the ornaments and hung them, he told me about the special ones. They were all from his family, and it made me sad to realize that none of the stories seemed to involve Heidi. Perhaps Edward had been wrong for trying to force her to be someone she wasn't, but personally, I couldn't imagine being around the two of them and not wanting to take part in the small family rituals they had.

I sat back for a moment and watched Edward and Maggie as they hung ornaments and teasingly squabbled about where to put them. When Edward noticed me hanging back, he handed me an ornament and coaxed me to find a spot for it, making me feel included by both of them and part of the little life they had together. I was content and happy in a way I'd never been before.

I didn't hate Heidi anymore, but I did pity her. She had missed so much with them. I was just grateful that I'd found my place with Edward and Maggie. Right then and there, I promised I'd never take it for granted.

**~BtBR~**

When the tree was decorated, the three of us stepped back and looked at it. "It's beautiful," I said. The star on top of the tree just grazed the ten-foot tall ceiling. It was full and round, covered in soft white lights and gleaming ornaments.

"I think it's the best tree we've ever had!" Maggie said excitedly as she finished tucking the tree skirt around it. The expression on her face was joyous and full of wonder, and I loved the fact that, although she acted like a world-weary teenager half the time, she still had a little bit of that child-like awe.

"Yeah, I think it is," Edward said, leaning over to kiss the top of her head.

"So what's next?" she asked, gesturing to the boxes and bags of decorations still on the floor.

"Well," I said, looping my arm with Edward's. "How about you get to work on those decorations while I get plates and glassware out so we'll be all set up for the party?"

She looked at me in surprise. "I can just put them wherever I want?" she asked.

I shrugged and smiled at her. "Sure, I mean it would be good if there was something in every room here on the first floor, and focus on the dining room and the living room maybe, but wherever you want to put them is fine by me."

"Yay," she squealed, kneeling down to dig through the bags. "This is going to be so much fun."

Edward and I headed into the kitchen, and I reached for the new dishes we'd bought the day before, but he stopped me. "You made her day, you know."

"What?" I asked, not really understanding what he was talking about.

"Letting her have free rein decorating," he said.

"Oh," I said as understanding dawned. "Heidi wouldn't have allowed that, would she?"

He shook his head. "She was … a bit of a control freak about things like that. She didn't even like it when Maggie hung posters on the walls in her bedroom."

"Well, I'm glad Maggie's having fun," I said, lifting a stack of plates. Edward followed with the wine glasses that we'd washed and repacked in boxes last night.

The two of us worked together, setting up an area for the buffet of appetizers and desserts on the dining room table, a bar for drinks in the living room, and watching Maggie flit in and out of the rooms like some sort of Christmas elf.

When we were all done, she proudly showed us around the house, pointing out everything she'd set up, down to the candles in the first floor bathroom and the glass vase full of Christmas ornaments on the dining room table.

"It looks great, Maggie," I said, meaning every word of it. "I love it."

She practically glowed at my praise, and Edward snaked an arm around my waist and pulled me close.

Maggie disappeared into her room to get ready for the party, and Edward and I took care of the boxes and bags for the decorations. We both took quick showers, and he was ready long before me.

"Is there anything I should do while you get ready?" Edward asked, slipping a silver-toned watch onto his wrist and clasping it shut. He was wearing black slacks, a black button-down, and a pale grey cashmere sweater. Everything was gorgeously tailored, skimming over his body just right, and I felt my mouth go dry at the sight of him.

"Bella?" he asked, grinning at me.

I gave him a sheepish smile and shrugged. "You look good, sorry."

"I said, do you need me to go downstairs and do anything?"

I glanced at the clock; we had a little over an hour until guests were supposed to arrive. I shook my head. "Nope, we're good."

Edward read while I finished getting ready. With my makeup and hair done, I sauntered toward him, wearing a bra and matching panties, holding my dress. "Want to zip me up?" I asked.

Edward glanced up from his tablet, his eyes widening. He grinned at me, setting his tablet on the small table beside the chair he was sitting in. "Don't you have to put the dress on before I can do that?"

I shrugged. "Maybe. I could use some help, either way."

He crooked a finger at me, and I stepped closer to him, standing between his spread thighs. He ran a hand up the side of my legs, over my hips, and to my waist. His hands were warm against my bare skin, and I bent forward to kiss him, bracing my hands on the arms of the chair. Slow, teasing pecks turned into deeper kisses, and after a few moments, he groaned. His hands moved from my waist to smooth over my ass, and I tossed the dress onto the table beside us. I settled onto his lap, my knees settling on either side of his thighs.

"Do we have time?" he asked breathlessly.

"I'm making time," I said, and he laughed and kissed me hungrily.

We were quick though, neither of us needing much foreplay. He slid his hand under my panties to touch me, while I quickly rid him of his belt and unzipped his pants. A few quick, firm strokes of my hand and he was fully hard, and I shifted so I could sink down over him.

The needy sound he made in the back of his throat urged me to move, and it took very little time for either of us to come. When I did, it was with one hand buried in his hair, the other gripping his bicep, and my mouth against his shoulder, trying to muffle the sounds of my pleasure.

"Jesus," Edward groaned as he came hard within me, his hips snapping up to bury himself deeper. He let out a sigh as he relaxed back against his chair, his hand stroking my back.

I giggled and kissed him, loving that we could go from making love softly and sweetly, like we had last night, to this time's quick, frantic desperation. It was never the same twice, but it was always so, so good. After one more kiss, I got up, running to the bathroom to clean up and make sure my hair and makeup were still okay. Edward disappeared into the bathroom when I was done, and I shimmied into the dress. He came out, swapping the now heavily creased black pants for a charcoal grey pair, and helped me zip up my dress. I smoothed my hands over it, loving the way it fit, and he kissed the top of my shoulder. The dress was sleeveless, with a wide V-neck with a scalloped edge. The waist was fitted, and flared out into a fuller skirt that hit just below my knees; it had a vintage silhouette I liked, although it was new. I slipped on the earrings Edward had given me for my birthday, deciding not to bother with a necklace.

I put a pair of black heels on and turned to face Edward. "How do I look?"

His expression was soft and loving, his gaze appreciative as he glanced over me. "Perfect. You're the most beautiful woman I've ever known," he said. "In every way; outwardly and in your heart." He swallowed hard and rubbed this thumb across my cheek. "This is the best holiday I've had in years, and it's the happiest I've seen Maggie in a long time. Thank you, Bella."

"I'm really happy that I'm a part of it."

"You're more than a part of this, Bella," he said. "You're the reason for it."

* * *

**Notes:** Well, half of you were right; Heidi was there to thank Bella, even if it did come across rather awkwardly. What did you think of the conversation?

Hope you liked Edward, Bella, and Maggie's preparations for Christmas, and for the holiday party. There are so many great things coming their way.

I have a Facebook group called Discordia's Library. If you'd like to join, add me as a friend on FB, and let me know you'd like to be added to the group.

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	30. Chapter 29 - The Party

**Notes:** Huge thanks to my pre-readers: Grnidgirl, ShellShock, and Jules Twifanawesomesox; my beta: Alice's White Rabbit; and my Validation beta: Totoro

I managed to get a bug that knocked me on my ass, so I wasn't able to do review replies. Getting this chapter posted was all I could manage. I will reply to the reviews as soon as I am feeling up to it.

* * *

**Chapter 29: The Party**

Edward and I made it downstairs with just enough time to get most of the food and drinks on the table. I had just put cider on the stove to mull and pulled the hot appetizers out of the oven when the doorbell rang. Flustered, I dropped the oven mitts to the counter, and Edward set down the bottle of wine he was opening.

We walked to the entryway together, and I felt a flutter of nerves in my stomach. He called up the stairs, "Maggie! Company is here."

"One sec," she shouted back.

I took a deep breath and anxiously smoothed down my dress, my hands beginning to tremble a little.

"You're nervous, aren't you?" Edward asked, with a concerned frown.

I nodded, swallowing hard.

Edward pressed his hand over my lower back as he reached for the door with the other hand. "Don't be nervous. My family is going to love you. And if I won your father over, I am sure I can handle Alice."

Edward's comment was designed to relax me, and it worked. I was laughing when he opened the door.

On the other side were two people I didn't recognize. Edward's face immediately lit up as he greeted them and stepped back so they could come inside. "Carlisle, Esme, come in."

Esme was a middle-aged woman, about my height and build, with soft brown hair streaked with grey and a welcoming smile. She greeted Edward with a kiss on the cheek and turned to me as he introduced us. "Bella, this is Esme, my sister-in-law. Esme, my girlfriend, Bella."

"It's wonderful to meet you," she said sincerely. "I've been looking forward to it."

"It's nice to meet you as well," I said. Edward and his brother greeted each other warmly, and I turned to face Edward's brother. He was a bit shorter than Edward, although only by an inch or two, with blond hair that had a fair amount of silver in it. I was immediately aware of the almost ten-year age gap between the brothers and the dissimilarity of their features; however, their smiles were very much alike.

"My brother, Carlisle," Edward said to me.

Carlisle nodded. "It's nice to meet you, Bella."

"You, too," I said, hoping his slightly cooler greeting was only because he was a more reserved person, not because he didn't like me.

"Drinks are in the living room, food is in the dining room, and Maggie should be on her way down shortly," Edward explained, just as the doorbell rang again. Esme and Carlisle wandered into the living room as he answered the door. Without being told, I knew the people who stepped inside the house this time had to be his parents. For being in their seventies, they had aged very well. Edward's mother was petite, with silvery hair cut in a neat bob and brilliant green eyes.

"You must be Bella," she said, reaching forward to hug me immediately. "It's so lovely to meet you. Call me Elizabeth."

"It's lovely to meet you, too," I said sincerely, hugging her back. I liked her already.

Edward's father was much like I imagined Edward would look at that age. His hair was completely silver, but his face was youthful for his age. They had similar builds and facial features; the only major difference was the bright blue eyes that it appeared Carlisle had inherited. Edward and Maggie's eye color had clearly been passed down from Elizabeth.

"Nice to meet you, sir," I said, looking up at Edward Sr. and suddenly feeling very, very nervous; but the moment he smiled, I felt myself relax. His eyes crinkled just the way Edward's did.

"Call me Senior. And it's very nice to meet you as well."

Things got a little crazy after that with my parents and Alice arriving almost immediately after. We collected coats and hung them as people trickled into the house, and Maggie came bounding down the stairs. Rose and Emmett, Edward's friends Kate and Garrett, Jasper, Tanya and Bryan, and finally, three of Maggie's friends arrived. It was organized chaos for a while as Edward and I introduced our friends and family, and they began to mingle and eat and drink.

I remembered the hot cider on the stove—thankfully, I had set it to the lowest setting—and I slipped into the kitchen to pour it into a pitcher. I took it to the living room and then carried the hot appetizers into the dining room. I paused in the doorway between the living room and dining room, surveying everything. We'd dimmed the lights just a bit, and with the brightly lit tree, the candles scattered around the room, and festive decorations, it looked warm and welcoming. My parents were chatting with Edward's, which gave me a funny sort of feeling. It was good, but a little surreal.

I felt someone come up behind me, and I stepped aside to let them through. "This is nice," Maggie said, sounding almost surprised.

"I'm a little nervous," I admitted. "But you're right, it is nice. I'm glad we did this."

"Why are you nervous?"

I shrugged. "I don't know, worried your family might not like me or something."

"They're great," Maggie said. "You don't have to worry about that."

"Thanks," I said, smiling at her. "I appreciate that."

She disappeared into the dining room to talk to her friends, and I walked into the living room to join Edward. He was talking to his friend Kate, and I remembered him describing her and her husband to me the other night when we were at dinner.

_Garrett and Kate Forsberg have been friends of mine for a long time. I think you'll like both of them. Garrett works for the Governor's office and Kate is an interior decorator. They're around my age, without children, and Kate loathes Heidi._

Kate was a beautiful blonde, wearing a stylish midnight blue wrap dress. She was petite and had a very open, friendly face. Edward slid his arm around my waist and pulled me close as I greeted his friend. Her face lit up when she saw me.

"Bella! I'm so glad you had a moment to come over. I've been looking forward to talking with you."

"Same here," I said.

"How long have you and Edward been dating?" she asked. I knew Edward had only told her about our relationship a week and a half prior when he'd called to invite her to the party.

"Since August," I explained.

Edward smiled down at me, and I leaned into him. "What have you two been doing lately?" he asked his friend.

"Garrett and I just got back from Aruba; we went for our anniversary." She grinned over at where her husband was standing by the bar, helping himself to some wine.

Edward asked, "How many years is it?"

"Fifteen. Can you believe it? God, and to think I got married at twenty-one! That seems so young now." She chuckled and I glanced over at Edward, suddenly a little uncomfortable.

He leaned in and spoke quietly to Kate. "As I'm sure you're aware, Bella is substantially younger than me. We're both still a little concerned about people's reaction to it, and frankly, a little touchy about the subject."

Kate winced. "Shit, I'm sorry. I absolutely didn't mean anything by my comment, I hope you know that."

"I do," I reassured her. "It's just something we know will get mixed reactions. So we've kind of been bracing ourselves."

She grinned sheepishly. "And I stuck my foot right in my mouth, didn't I? Can I ask? How old are you? Or is that horribly rude of me?"

"Twenty-three," I said, laughing a little.

"Hmm, that is quite the age gap." She shrugged. "Still, I haven't seen you look this relaxed and happy in years, Edward. So, if you two are happy, I'm happy for you. You have my full support." She squeezed my upper arm gently, and I relaxed, liking her candor.

"Thank you," I said gratefully, before taking a sip of my drink. "I have to admit, I've been really nervous about meeting Edward's friends."

It was Edward who reassured me. "I promise, they'll fall in love with you like I have." He brushed his lips over my forehead, and I closed my eyes for a moment.

Kate's husband Garrett joined us then. "Good to see you, Edward, and it's nice to meet you, Bella," he said. She smiled affectionately up at him and he greeted us with an easy smile; he was as friendly as his wife was.

He was even taller than Edward, with short brown hair and hazel eyes. His expression was warm, and he wrapped his arms around Kate's waist, pressing his chin to the top of her head. They were very cute together.

"It's nice to meet you, too," I said. "Thank you for coming."

The four of us quickly fell into easy conversation, and as Kate and Garrett told us about their trip to Aruba, I relaxed. A small part of me had been afraid that I wasn't going to fit in with Edward's friends. I'd worried that maybe we wouldn't have much in common or that they'd treat me differently because of my age. But the conversation flowed easily. I found that I genuinely liked both Kate and Garrett, and I could see why Edward was friends with them.

After a little while, we both excused ourselves and went into the kitchen. Edward grabbed a couple more bottles of chilled white wine, and I refreshed a few of the appetizers. I was adding more crackers to a platter when my father wandered in.

"Hey, Dad," I smiled at him. "How are you?"

He leaned against the counter and sipped his drink. "I'm good. This is a nice party."

I knew my father would have preferred a more low-key atmosphere; he was more of the tailgating party type, but I loved that he was here and enjoying himself.

"Thank you. I am really glad you and Mom could come."

He nodded, and I closed the boxes and put them back in the pantry. He followed me as I carried the tray into the dining room, but we both paused when we heard Maggie and one of her friends talking heatedly.

"Shut up, Jessica," Maggie hissed.

I stepped back, glancing over at my father, both of us clearly uncomfortable, but they were between us and the table.

The other girl spoke. "I just can't believe you're all BFFs with your dad's girlfriend now."

"Bella's cool," Maggie said. "Just because your dad dated totally trashy chicks and your step-mom sucks doesn't mean that my dad has such bad taste. Bella's been really great to me."

"She's just being nice so your dad will marry her," Jessica scoffed. "Once they get married, she'll treat you like crap. Trust me, I know."

"Bella isn't like that," Maggie defended me, and I bit my lip at the tears that sprang into my eyes. I glanced over at my father, and he had a small smile playing on his lips that lifted the corner of his moustache. "She wouldn't do that. And if you're going to be a total bitch, you can just leave."

"I rode here with Lauren and Amy," she protested.

"Not my problem," Maggie said.

Jessica gasped. "What the hell, Maggie? You're siding with her over me?"

"She's nicer to me than you are right now," Maggie said and headed straight toward my father and me.

She nearly ran into us, and her face turned bright red when she realized we'd overheard her conversation with her friend. "Sorry, Maggie," I said a little awkwardly.

She covered her face with her hands. "I'm just so embarrassed. Jess was awful."

"Your friend doesn't know me; all she has are her own experiences to go on. But you were sweet to defend me, and that really, really means a lot to me, Maggie," I said. I leaned in and spoke more quietly. "And I'm kind of embarrassed, too. I didn't mean to eavesdrop."

She looked up at me with a grateful smile. "Thanks, Bella."

I changed the subject. "Did you meet my dad?"

She shook her head and glanced up at him, smiling shyly. "Hi, I'm Maggie."

"Hi, Maggie," he said softly. "It's very nice to meet you. You can call me Charlie."

"Oh!" she said, sounding surprised. "You don't want to call you Mr. Swan?"

"You can always call me the Chief," he joked, but she laughed and nodded.

"That's kinda cool. You're a police officer, right?"

"Yes, Chief of Police in Silverton."

She tilted her head and stared at him. "Bella said you didn't like my dad very much."

I smiled, Maggie reminded me a bit of Emmett sometimes, with the way she blurted out whatever was on her mind.

He nervously smoothed down his mustache. "Well, I didn't like the idea of who I thought he was. Now that I've met him, I feel differently."

Maggie nodded. "Yeah, I didn't like Bella at first either."

I laughed softly and excused myself, finally managing to get away long enough to place the platter of crackers on the dining room table. My father and Maggie were still talking. I glanced up and saw him laughing, clearly charmed by her, and I knew the way she'd defended me to her friend had won my father over.

Alice came up to me as I tidied up a few things, and I smiled at her. "Thanks for coming, hun."

"This is fun," she said. "It's nice to spend more time with Rose and Em, and I got to talk to your mom for a while."

"Oh, good!" I said. "I know she misses you."

Arms slid around my waist, and I leaned back against Edward. "Are you enjoying yourself, Alice?" Edward asked.

She nodded at him, and I saw her eyes take in the way he was holding me. "I am; thank you for inviting me."

I could feel Edward shrug. "I want to get to know everyone in Bella's life, and I hope you'll see that I want nothing but the best for her."

Alice gave him an approving nod. "I'm glad to hear that."

"Tell me about yourself, Alice," he prompted.

I stretched up and kissed his cheek, reaching out to squeeze Alice's hand before I stepped away. I left them to their conversation and made a trip into the living room to check on the ice by the bar. Reassured that there was enough, I allowed myself to get drawn into a conversation Edward's mother and Kate were having.

"Come here, Bella, if you have a moment," Elizabeth said. "Kate said Edward is talking about re-decorating."

"Oh! Yes," I said, surprised he'd brought it up to Kate already. "He has been talking about that."

Kate grinned excitedly. "I am thrilled. I would love to get my hands on this house."

"I was just telling Kate that I love the idea that you two will be able to breathe some life into this old place," Elizabeth said. "It's overdue. I fell in love with this house when we moved here from Boston. I was so happy that Edward wanted to move in here. I couldn't bear the thought of selling it to a stranger."

"That's wonderful that it could stay in the family," I agreed. "It's a beautiful home."

Edward's mother smiled warmly. "I'm glad to hear you like it. I look forward to seeing it re-decorated. It's too stuffy and stodgy." She looked me over with an approving glance. "You have good taste, and this home could use some young blood."

Coming from the woman dressed in a stylish pantsuit, a chic scarf, and impeccable jewelry, I found that immensely flattering. "Edward did say he wanted my input."

She gave me an incredulous look. "Bella, dear, I know my son. He has every intention of making you a permanent part of his life. He wants to build a life with you and Maggie."

"I want that, too," I admitted, noticing that Kate had stepped away to give us privacy to talk.

"Then this will be your home as well."

"You approve?" I asked, my stomach fluttering with nerves.

She beamed at me. "I welcome it. Think about the first time you were in this house. If I had to venture a guess, it would be that the house was virtually silent, too big for two people, and half-empty of furniture." I nodded, and she gestured around the room. "Look at it now; it's filled with happy, laughing people. It's warm and welcoming, beautifully decorated for Christmas."

"Maggie decorated it," I said weakly. I knew what she was getting at, but I thought she was giving me a little too much credit.

Elizabeth nodded. "And the three of you turned it into a home again. The three of you _together_ brought it to life. You, Bella, have brought Edward to life in the same way. Your presence in his life is the best thing I've seen happen in years. My son is a good, hard-working man. He made a mistake trying to build a family with Heidi, but his intentions were good. You have given him a second chance to have what he always wanted. I welcome your presence in his life, and in Maggie's, and have every confidence that you will give them both what was sorely lacking in their lives before."

I wiped away the tears that trickled down over my cheek and hugged her. For such a small, delicate looking woman, her hug was surprisingly fierce. "Welcome to the family," she whispered in my ear.

I felt a warm, familiar touch on my back. "Bella?" Edward asked, sounding a little concerned. "Mom? Why are you making her cry?"

I straightened up and looked at him, brushing away a few more happy tears. He slid his arm around my waist and kissed my temple.

"I'm just telling Bella the truth," Elizabeth said.

"And what is that?" he asked.

"That I've never seen you or Maggie happier, and I want Bella to know that we are all aware that she's the one responsible for that."

Edward pulled me against him, his other arm wrapping around me to pull me close. He placed a lingering kiss on my forehead. "Without question," he said simply.

**~BtBR~**

The party continued; everyone mingling, drinking, and laughing. Maggie and her friends disappeared upstairs to her room, and the rest of us continued to socialize.

I finally had a moment to talk to Tanya, and she gave me a huge hug. She was wearing a beautiful green dress that made her hair look even more red than usual, and I complimented her on it.

"You look gorgeous, too," she replied. "This suits you."

I looked down. "My dress? Yeah, I like it."

She laughed softly. "No, being with Edward. This party is amazing." She gestured around the room. It _was_ amazing to see Rosalie and Edward Sr. talking, Garrett and Emmett laughing, and Tanya's boyfriend Bryan getting to know Edward. My mother was chatting with Elizabeth and Alice, and the whole room seemed joyous and light.

"Thank you," I said. "I'm happy."

"I can tell. Did you think you and Edward would make it to this point?"

I shook my head and answered honestly. "No, I didn't. But I'm so fucking grateful that I stuck with it. The thought of missing out on this … it's just unfathomable."

I lifted my glass to take a sip of my wine, and Tanya held her glass up to me. "To a really good life with your Hottie V.P."

I nearly spat my wine out as I laughed and reached forward to clink glasses with her. "Oh, God, I'd forgotten that we used to call him that."

She grinned at me. "And now he's yours."

"Damn. He is, isn't he?" I said, feeling a little awed.

"All yours, baby," Tanya said.

"Is it weird that he's still your boss?" I asked. "Especially coming to his house and socializing?"

"A little." She shrugged. "But it's cool. He's a good guy."

I opened my mouth to agree with her when she nudged me. "Hey, speaking of bosses. Yours is totally checking Alice out."

"What?" I said, glancing across the room. Jasper was talking to Edward, but he clearly was paying more attention to my dark-haired friend than anything else. He looked entranced by her as she chatted animatedly to Kate across the room from him. She was wearing a stunning plum colored dress and heels that made her legs look a mile long. I couldn't really blame him; she looked great. "Wow, you aren't kidding. Huh."

Tanya and I wandered over to Edward and Jasper, and during a brief lull in the conversation, I spoke up. "Have you met my friend Alice?"

Jasper flushed and rubbed at the back of his neck. "No, I haven't."

"Would you like to?" I asked, teasingly. For tonight, I was trying to think of him as Edward's friend and not my boss.

He nodded sheepishly, and I caught a glimpse of the amused smile on Edward's face. Tanya disappeared, and Edward, Jasper, and I walked over to Alice. She smiled at me, and I caught a flicker of interest as her gaze swept over Jasper. He was dressed in a pair of tan slacks, a crisp white button-down, and a darker brown vest. His sleeves were folded up to reveal nicely toned forearms, and when he offered Alice a crooked smile, I had a feeling she was going to like him quite a lot. With his dark blond hair and deep blue eyes, he was just her type.

When Kate finished what she was saying and excused herself, I introduced Jasper to Alice.

"Alice Brandon?" Jasper said curiously. "You wouldn't happen to be the painter by that name, would you?"

Her eyes opened wide. "I … I am, actually. You know my work?"

He nodded, smirking. "I have one of your paintings in my bedroom, actually."

"Really?" Alice said a little flirtatiously. "Which one?"

"Excuse me," I said. "Edward and I need to check on the food."

Neither Alice nor Jasper looked at us; with a soft laugh, I grabbed Edward's hand and pulled him out into the hallway. I turned to look at him. "Well _that_ was unexpected."

Edward grinned at me. "Definitely."

It had never crossed my mind that the two of them would be interested in each other. Edward and I had invited them simply because they were our friends, but I loved the idea that they might hit it off.

"I'm having a great time tonight," I said, changing the subject as I stretched up to kiss him.

"I am, too."

We did go check on the food then, replenishing some of the platters that were growing empty. We made the rounds of the party again, chatting with our friends and family. When we were done, we ended up in a conversation with his parents and siblings.

"I understand you were recently hired into the marketing department," Carlisle said to me.

"Yes," I said, taking a sip of my wine, a little intimidated by Edward's older brother.

"Congratulations, that's quite the accomplishment," he said sincerely. That was high praise from a highly respected surgeon at Providence.

"I am very excited about it," I said. "I've been eyeing that position for a very long time."

Edward Sr. nodded at me. "It's nice to see people staying within the hospital. We try to keep a very low turnover rate."

"That's what Edward has said."

Esme turned to her father-in-law and said teasingly. "What is this _we_ business? You are no longer Chief of Staff, remember?"

He grinned at her. "I'm not doing so well adjusting to retirement."

"They wanted him to take the position that opened up on the board," Elizabeth explained to me. "I told him that he had given fifty years to that place, the rest of his time was mine."

"You're part of the Women's League, aren't you?" I asked her. "I seem to remember Edward saying that."

"I was. I stepped down recently. Senior and I have plans to travel," she said.

I turned to Esme. "And you're a nurse, correct?"

She nodded. "After years of refusing, I finally took the position as Director of Nursing. I miss being on the floors though."

"I think it's amazing that you all work at Providence," I said.

Esme laughed. "It is funny, isn't it? I suppose we should have known that the woman Edward would fall in love with would be working there as well."

Everyone laughed and Edward hugged me closer, leaning in to whisper in my ear. "Even if you should have been totally off-limits."

I chuckled and looked up at him, feeling warm and relaxed from the wine and easy conversation with his family. It was such an amazing feeling to have all of our friends and family there together. And it was all going so well.

"Edward said you'll be joining us for Christmas Day," Esme said, and I turned my attention to her again.

I nodded. "I'd love to be there, I just don't want to intrude."

The murmurs of indignation that rose up at the idea of me not being there warmed my heart. "Is there something I can bring?" I asked.

Elizabeth smiled at me. "Well, normally I would say no, but I heard rumors that you have a knack for making desserts. And if what I sampled earlier was any indication, you are quite talented."

"Well, Maggie helped me make most of the cookies," I said. "And Edward is biased, so I wouldn't trust his judgment. I am glad you liked them though. Thank you."

Elizabeth's eyes twinkled. "Well, it was Maggie, not Edward, who was singing your praises."

I smiled softly. "That is very nice to hear."

"If you'd like to bring a dessert for Christmas, that would be most welcome," she replied.

I looked around the group. "Any requests?"

Carlisle spoke up immediately. "Pecan pie."

I looked at him in surprise. "Sure, I can make that."

He gave me a half-smile. "Wonderful."

Intending to ask another question about Christmas, I was interrupted by Rose and Emmett.

"We're going to head out," she said, touching my shoulder softly. "I'm wiped out."

She gestured to her ever-expanding belly. I swore it looked larger than the week before, although she still looked absolutely stunning. "Thank you for coming," I said, hugging her tightly, although we had to do a strange side hug because of the baby. "Bye, baby McCarty."

I rubbed my hand over the baby and felt it kick.

Rosalie winced, but I was delighted. I was so eager to meet the baby. I caught Elizabeth giving me a speculative look, but I didn't have time to react before I was engulfed in a monster hug from Emmett. "This was fun," he said. "We'll have to get together again. Maybe you and Edward can come over for dinner one night."

"I'd like that," I said, escorting them to the door. They left with another round of hugs and waved goodbye. The party continued for a while longer, but eventually, my parents joined us and excused themselves.

"We should head out; your father has to work early tomorrow," my mother said, "and we have the hour drive home."

"Oh, of course. We're just glad you came."

"Will we see you on Christmas Eve?" my mom said hopefully.

"Shit," I swore. "I have had so much going on that it slipped my mind to ask you if it was all right if Edward and Maggie came this year."

"Of course," my mother gushed. "We'd love that, wouldn't we, Charlie?"

He nodded and spoke directly to Edward. "Your daughter is a nice girl. You've done a good job with her."

I could see the pride in Edward at my father's praise. "I've tried my hardest."

"You've done well," he said. "I look forward to seeing you both next week."

"Wonderful party," my mother said when she hugged me goodbye.

"I learned from the best," I said with a smile. "And I had a lot of really great help."

My gaze swept over Edward and Maggie, and she grinned at me. I was glad to see her friend Jessica was still there; apparently they'd patched up their little tiff. The girls were all talking as they put on their coats and got ready to leave.

They left, giggling, and Maggie hung out in the entryway with us as we finished saying goodbye to my parents. "We'll see you on Christmas Eve, okay?" my mom said to her, and she nodded.

"Okay," she agreed brightly

I wasn't terribly surprised by the hug my mom gave her; she was just that kind of warm, friendly person. But when my father gave Maggie an awkward, side-arm hug, my eyes nearly bugged out of my head. The man had taken _years_ to warm up to Alice enough to hug her.

How the two people who had been most adamantly against my relationship with Edward had been won over, and apparently bonded, was beyond me. Edward and I exchanged amused glances and shrugged at each other. However it had happened, it was a great sign of things to come. My dad and Edward shook hands warmly, and as my parents headed out the door, Maggie called out, "Bye, Chief!"

He waved goodbye to her, and I stifled another laugh. Who would have predicted that?

Guests trickled out after that; Edward's family leaving with warm hugs and promises to see us on Christmas Day.

Tanya and Bryan got ready to leave, and I apologized to him for not getting a chance to speak to him much that night. He shrugged. "That's okay. I could tell you were busy."

He was a really sweet guy, rather quiet, especially compared to Tanya's exuberance, but I liked him a lot. We made tentative plans to get together again sometime, and we all said our goodbyes.

Kate and Garrett prepared to leave shortly after that, and they suggested the four of us go out to dinner once the holidays were over. I agreed enthusiastically. It would be nice to have several couples in Portland to socialize with.

"And let's talk re-decorating," Kate said, pointing at both Edward and me. "I am itching to get my hands on this place."

With a laugh, we agreed and said goodnight to them.

Suddenly, the house was nearly empty. It was quiet except for the holiday music playing in the background. Maggie had disappeared, and we headed into the living room. Alice and Jasper were seated on one of the sofas, talking intently, and barely even glanced in our direction.

Edward and I tidied up a bit, moving glasses and plates into the kitchen to be taken care of in the morning, and put away the leftover food. Alice and Jasper were still talking by the time we were done and ready to head to bed.

Alice was spending the night and didn't have to drive home, so I interrupted them briefly. She glanced up at me, startled, when I said her name. "Hey, Alice, the guest bedroom is upstairs, first door on your right at the top of the stairs. There are towels in the bathroom, which is directly across the hall."

"Oh, thanks, Bella," she said. "See you in the morning?"

"Yep."

"Have a good night."

I grinned knowingly at her. "You, too."

She pushed her hair behind her ear, a little flustered, and glanced at Jasper. She gave me a half-shrug, and I laughed softly to myself.

"Night, Jasper," Edward said.

Jasper nodded. "See you both Monday."

Edward asked him to turn out the lights and lock up when he left, and he readily agreed. It was clear to see he was eager to get back to his conversation with Alice.

They said good night to us distractedly, and Edward and I headed upstairs, hand-in-hand. Maggie was coming out from the kitchen, carrying a glass of water, and we wished her goodnight, too.

I stopped to blow out a candle on the entryway table that was still lit, and Maggie ran up the stairs ahead of us. "Night," she called out before disappearing into her room.

Edward and I followed, but he stopped at the foot of the stairs and pointed above. Someone, Maggie I assumed, had hung some decorative mistletoe from the light fixture. He gently pulled me close to him. I sighed at the feel of his body against mine and rested my arms on his shoulders, playing with the hair at the nape of his neck.

He kissed me slowly and deeply, and I wound my arms around his neck more tightly as I kissed him back. The wonderful night had left me exhausted but so, so happy. Our family and friends were meshing well, my relationship with Maggie was deepening, and Edward and I had never been more in love.

Edward pressed his forehead to mine, his eyes still closed. "I love you," he said softly.

Despite our friends still talking in the living room and Edward's daughter upstairs, the moment felt very private.

"I love you, too, Edward." I pulled back to look at him. "This is just the beginning, isn't it?"

He nodded, his eyes so full of love and hope that I had to swallow hard. "It is. We have so much ahead of us, Bella."

"I can't wait," I said before pressing my lips to his again.

* * *

**Notes: **Well, their family and friends have nowall met. What did you think? I'd say that was a pretty successful party. Bella got Elizabeth's blessing and praise, Maggie stood up for Bella, and Jasper and Alice seem to have hit it off! Oh, and I hope you liked Maggie and Charlie, I had fun with them.

I have a Facebook group called Discordia's Library. If you'd like to join, add me as a friend on FB, and let me know you'd like to be added to the group.

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	31. Chapter 30 - The Guest Room

**Notes:** Huge thanks to my pre-readers: Grnidgirl, ShellShock, and Jules Twifanawesomesox; my beta: Alice's White Rabbit; and my Validation beta: Totoro

I really love the responses from the last chapter. So many of you were incredibly proud of Maggie for sticking up for Bella, you loved Elizabeth and her welcoming Bella to the family and almost everyone loved Maggie and the Chief!

* * *

**Chapter 30: The Guest Room**

Edward was still asleep when I awoke. I slipped out of bed quietly, dressed, and got ready. I closed the bedroom door softly and turned to go downstairs. I stopped in my tracks when I saw the guest bedroom door open and Alice and Jasper walk out. Although maybe walk was a generous term; they stumbled out, lips glued together, hands grasping and caressing each other. I froze, shocked by the sight of my boss and my best friend all over each other. I knew they had hit it off well last night, but I didn't realize they had hit it off _that_ well.

"Fuck, Alice, I don't want to go," Jasper whispered against her lips.

"I don't want you to, either," she said, kissing him again, her hand clutching his vest.

I cleared my throat and they sprang apart; Jasper nervously smoothing a hand over his hair. Alice bit her lip and gave me a sheepish grin. But there was a sparkle in her eyes that I hadn't seen in a long while, and Jasper's hand remained glued to her lower back.

"Bella," Jasper said. "I … uh …"

I waved off the awkward apology I knew was coming. "I was just headed downstairs to make coffee. Carry on."

I slipped around them and continued on my way.

"Well, that was awkward," Jasper said.

I heard Alice's giggle as I walked down the stairs, and I smiled to myself. I was _so_ interrogating the hell out of her later, but for now, I'd stay out of their way.

Coffee was brewing, and I had my head in the refrigerator trying to decide what to make for breakfast when I heard heavy footsteps on the stairs. I closed the refrigerator and turned to face Jasper just as he peered his head in the door. His expression was sheepish and uncomfortable. "Sorry about that, Bella."

I grinned and shrugged. "It's fine. You two … um, took me by surprise, that's all. You seem to have … uh … hit it off well," I said as diplomatically as possible.

"We did. Are you okay with that?" he asked, frowning as he leaned against the doorjamb.

"If Alice is happy, I'm happy," I said.

He gave me a soft smile. "I'd like to have the chance to make her happy."

"Then go for it," I said, touched by his sweet comment. I hesitated before I continued. "I don't want to speak out of turn, but just so you know, Alice has been through …" My voice trailed off as I struggled with how to word things.

Jasper frowned, and there was an edge to his voice. "She told me about her ex, James. I'm very aware of what she had to deal with there."

I smiled softly. "If she told you, then that's all I need to know. I am happy you two hit it off."

"Thank you," Jasper said sincerely. "I just couldn't see letting her slip from my fingers without giving things a shot. She's really something."

"Yeah, she is," I agreed. "Would you like to join us for breakfast? I was just about to get started on it."

He shook his head with a regretful expression. "I am actually headed out; unfortunately, I have plans today."

"Oh, okay, let me walk you to the door."

"Thank you for inviting me to the party. I know it's a bit odd, considering our work situation, but it was nice to spend some time with you and Edward."

"I'm glad you came," I said. "And I'm sure we'll figure out how to behave at work."

Jasper paused when we reached the front door. "As far as work goes, you'll find my department is pretty low-key. I like to have a fairly informal relationship with my team, so I'm sure we can make it work even though we're dating each other's close friends." He gave me a warm smile. "Obviously, keeping personal talk to a minimum is probably good. But don't feel like you can't call me Jasper or approach me if you need something."

"Thanks. I'll keep that in mind."

He placed his hand on my shoulder and squeezed gently. "It's good to see him happy. Thank you for that."

"It's good to see Alice so happy, too." I smiled at him and handed him his coat once I found it in the closet.

"Like I said, I'm going to try," he said as he shrugged on his leather jacket. "I will see you at work on Monday."

"See you then, boss." I waved as Jasper walked out the door with a smile.

Dishes from the night before were done, coffee was brewed, fruit was cut up, and I had assembled a baked French toast casserole and stuck it in the oven by the time I heard footsteps on the stairs. To my surprise, it was Maggie, not Alice. She staggered into the room and clambered up onto a stool at the counter. She laid her cheek on the counter and muttered, "Morning, Bella."

"Morning, Maggie. You okay?"

"I slept like crap."

"I'm sorry. Did something keep you up?" I paled at the thought that Edward and I could possibly have been loud enough for her to hear. We had tried so hard to be quiet, but we had made love, and in the end, I'd ended up having to bury my face in the pillow.

Although, now that I thought about it, the guest room Alice and Jasper stayed in was closer to Maggie's room. If she couldn't sleep because of loud noises disturbing her, I was _so_ throwing them under the bus.

"No." She groaned. "Cramps."

I winced, remembering how bad mine had been at that age. "I'm sorry. Does heat help?"

"I dunno; never tried it."

"Ok, give me a minute, and I'll see what I can do." I went upstairs and slipped into the bedroom, managing to find an athletic sock of Edward's without waking him. Maggie gave me a curious look as I dug through the pantry for rice. She raised an eyebrow at me when I filled the sock with rice, twisted a hair tie around it, and stuck it in the microwave for three minutes.

"What is that?" she asked curiously.

"A makeshift hot pack. I have a fancy one with buckwheat hulls, but rice works in a pinch. C'mon, why don't you get comfy on the couch in the living room? I'll bring it in once it's ready."

"Okay." She gave me a skeptical look, but slowly walked toward the living room. When it was hot, I grabbed the sock from the microwave and wrapped it in a clean dishtowel before taking it to her. She was curled up on the couch, looking pale and miserable. I handed the rice-filled bundle to her. "Here, just put it right there, across your hips. It should help."

She gave me a wan smile and pulled a throw up over herself. "Thanks, Bella."

"You're welcome. It's a trick my friend Rose taught me." I hesitated for a moment. "You mind if I hang out in here and read, or would you rather be left alone?"

"It's okay if you stay," she said quietly.

She dozed for a little while as I found a book on the shelf and read. Alice peered her head in the door a little while later, and I held a finger up to my lips and set the book down. I crossed the room to the door and tugged Alice into the kitchen before I spoke. "Maggie's napping. Cramps."

Alice made a face. "Ugh. Hate that."

"I made her a hot sock of rice. Hopefully, it'll help."

Alice smiled softly, sounding a little surprised. "You're good to her."

I shrugged. "I like her, and she's Edward's daughter. How can I not want to help her?"

"Still … I'm impressed. It seems to come really naturally to you." She took a seat at the counter, and I poured cups of coffee for us both before taking a seat beside her.

"Enough stalling, Alice," I teased. "I believe you have explaining to do."

Alice grinned sheepishly at me, and she giggled, burying her face in her hands. "So embarrassed."

I nudged her with my elbow. "Clearly you and Jasper clicked."

With a snort, Alice lifted her head to look at me. "Yeah, you could say that."

"How was it?"

"Good." She grinned, her smile growing wider and wider. "Amazing. Never had better."

"Glad to hear it."

"Although we didn't actually … have sex or anything. Just kissed and fooled around but …" She looked a little flustered, and I loved seeing normally put-together Alice rattled by someone. Especially when I knew he was just as smitten.

Her expression grew more serious. "You're okay with it? I mean, I know he's your boss, and Edward's friend and—"

I cut her off. "Absolutely, Alice. As I told Jasper when he left, if you're happy, I'm happy."

Alice's small smile wavered. "You're a better friend than I deserve … when I think about the things I said to you …."

"Hey, you were dealing with a lot." I reached out and grabbed her hand.

"You have been, too." Alice looked me straight in the eye. "Bella, I see such a difference in you since you started dating Edward. You're … happier, more content somehow. I can't explain it, but I can see the difference as clear as day. I'm sorry I doubted you."

"You had your reasons."

"Maybe. But they don't excuse the way I acted. You're one of my best friend's, Bella. I should have been supporting you. If you felt even a tenth of what I feel for Jasper, I can't blame you at all for jumping into something with Edward. I never thought I'd feel anything like this after knowing someone for such a short time."

"I'm glad you two hit it off like that. Are you dating now?"

She nodded. "We're going to try." She looked down at her coffee mug for a long time before she continued. "He's so incredible, Bella. We talked for _hours_ last night. And it wasn't weird when I told him about James or everything I've been dealing with since. Maybe I'm crazy for jumping into something so fast, but I just couldn't help it. He was so, so sweet and amazing."

She was silent for a long moment before she sighed heavily. "I'm fucking scared though."

"What are you scared of?" I asked quietly.

"That I'm going to screw it all up. That my issues are going to be more than he can handle."

"You won't know unless you try," I said softly. "It's scary, Alice. I wasn't sure if I could handle everything that Edward and I have had to face. But I don't regret it for a second. He's worth it. And I have a feeling that Jasper thinks you're worth it, too."

"I really hope so."

Edward joined the two of us shortly after that, and he went in to check on Maggie when I explained that she wasn't feeling well. She was sleeping still, so the three of us had breakfast.

We ate at the kitchen table, and I was pleased to see that Alice and Edward seemed to be getting along well.

"I owe you an apology," Alice said, setting down her fork mid-conversation and looking straight at him.

Edward looked up at her, startled. "No, you don't," he protested but Alice shook her head at him.

"No, I do. I made a lot of assumptions about you, and I was off base on all of them. It wasn't fair of me. You're good for Bella. Really good, and if I had been more open-minded, I would have seen that.

"I appreciate the apology," Edward said sincerely. "Why don't we start with a clean slate from here on out?"

"I'd like that," she agreed.

I smiled down at my plate, incredibly pleased that Alice and Edward were getting to know each other. And if things went well with Jasper, maybe the four of us would be seeing quite a lot of each other.

We finished eating, and Alice and Edward insisted that I relax with a cup of coffee while they cleaned up. "Don't be silly," Alice said when I protested. "You made breakfast and cleaned up from the party last night. This is the least I can do."

We chatted while they worked, and they joined me at the table again when the kitchen was clean. Alice shifted nervously in her seat. "Uhm, so I feel like you should know that I'm dating Jasper now."

Edward nearly choked on his coffee, and he set the mug down to look at her. "Well, uh, all right."

She flushed. "I just thought you should know."

I gently teased my friend. "What she's too embarrassed to admit is that I caught Jasper leaving the guest bedroom this morning."

She covered her face in her hands. "You're so mean, Bella."

"Oh, come on, I was either going to tell him now or after you left."

"It's just embarrassing."

"I know Bella told you the story of the beginning of our relationship," Edward said dryly. "Do you really believe I'd judge you? Even if I were the type, it would be awfully hypocritical of me."

She nodded grudgingly, and he continued. "Look, Alice, I didn't plan for things to go the way they did with Bella. But now that we're here, on the other side of the hurdles we've had to face, I'm just glad I didn't let my head overrule all of my other instincts. Sometimes love creeps up on you, unexpectedly, in the most unlikely of places."

I turned to face Edward. "That's so sweet."

"It's true," he said.

She gave him a worried look. "I just hope you're okay with me being with Jasper."

"I think it's great," he said sincerely. "Jasper is one of the best guys I know. You won't find a more loyal, honest, trustworthy guy than him."

"He seems like it." She wrapped her hands around her mug and looked down at it before she spoke softly. "I just hope I'm good enough for him."

"Of all of the things I've learned from my relationship with Bella, it's that you should trust the judgment of the person you're with. If you respect them, then trust that they're with you for a reason. That they see something in you that you might not."

Thinking back, I couldn't believe how far Edward had come in terms of feeling like he was worthy of me. I swallowed a lump in my throat and reached out to intertwine my fingers with Edward's. Alice glanced at where our hands were resting on the table and smiled softly.

"I take it you struggled with that?" she asked.

"You have no idea." Edward laughed softly. "Every concern you and Bella's father had about me, I'd already tortured myself over. It's only Bella's patience that got us through it."

She gave me a sidelong glance. "She's pretty amazing, isn't she?"

Edward nodded. "Absolutely."

I laughed. "Oh, shut up, both of you. You'll give me a swelled head."

Alice headed out shortly after that with hugs and a promise to call me soon. She hugged Edward as well and thanked him for inviting her.

"Let me know how things go with Jasper," I said.

She laughed and ducked her head, shifting her overnight bag on her shoulder. "I have a feeling you'll be seeing a lot more of me in Portland in the near future."

I hugged her again. "I'd love that."

She whispered in my ear. "Definitely hotter than Brad Pitt; you and Rose were right."

I was still laughing when the door closed behind her, and Edward took my hand, giving me an amused look. "So, Alice and Jasper, huh?"

"Looks like it," I agreed.

"I never expected that," he admitted. "But I think it might work."

I nodded. "I think so, too, actually."

We spent a little while tidying up the remainder of the mess from the party, talking as we worked. "I thought the party went well last night," Edward said.

"Mmhmm, I did, too. We'll have to do it again sometime," I said as I put the new plates in the dining room hutch while Edward straightened the chairs.

"My family loved you," he said, sounding almost smug.

"I hope so," I said. I had felt very good about the way things had gone. Carlisle still seemed a bit reserved, but I was hopeful that he would be won over completely as he got to know me.

"I know so," he replied firmly. "They realized you were the perfect match for me."

"The perfect match, huh?" I asked.

He nodded and walked over to me. "There is nothing I need that you haven't done your absolute best to give me; physically, intellectually … emotionally. It took me a long time to believe that I deserved to have all of that in my life, but now that I do …" He shook his head. "I just can't picture living without that. My mother was right, Bella. You've done so much for Maggie and me."

"You've done the same for me," I argued. "I can't say that I was unhappy before I met you, but the happiness and contentment I feel now is on a whole other level. I don't know how else to describe it but I feel more _me_. Like I'm headed down the right path, and that this is exactly where I was supposed to end up."

"I'd like to think that we're the perfect match for each other then," he said.

"Oh, we are," I assured him. "Believe me, I know we are."

Edward kissed me and took my hand as we wandered into the living room to check on Maggie. She was still asleep, curled up on her side with her hands tucked under her cheek. She looked so young, and I wondered what she was like when she was a small child.

"Maggie absolutely charmed your father," Edward said quietly, leading me into the library so we could continue talking without disturbing her.

"I know. I was kind of flabbergasted." I paused. "You know, she defended me to her friend Jess last night."

"Oh?" Edward said, sounding puzzled. "What happened?"

I told him about the situation, and he paused while he listened. "Interesting," he said when I finished. "Well, I'm proud of Maggie. It's a shame Jess is trying to be such a bad influence on her, but I'm pleased to hear that not only is Maggie sticking up for you, she's thinking for herself and not giving in to pressure from her friends."

"You've done a really great job raising her," I praised him.

"I really believe your influence is helping."

"I hope so," I said honestly. "It's a little terrifying though. That's a lot of responsibility."

He frowned and reached for me, pulling me close. "Too much?"

I shook my head. "No. I want it. I want a life with you and Maggie."

"I want that, too."

He kissed me deeply, and I tried to express all of my feelings to him as I kissed him back. It was impossible though. There was too much to say, too much running through my head. So I just held him tight and kissed him, knowing that he was probably feeling exactly the same way.

We had just gotten comfortable in the chairs in the library to read when Maggie stumbled into the room, wrapped in a blanket. Her cheeks had a little more color in them though, and she looked less miserable than earlier.

"Are you feeling better?" I asked and she nodded.

"Yeah, thanks, Bella. The hot rice really helped."

"You're welcome." She handed it back to me, and I set it on the table beside my chair.

"You owe me a sock," Edward teased me.

I shrugged. "If you're good, maybe I'll get you some for Christmas."

Maggie laughed and threw herself down in the chair across from us. "What are we doing today?"

"I don't know," Edward said. "Bella and I don't have any specific plans. Do you?"

She shook her head. "I kind of just want to do nothing. I don't have school again until January, and I want to let my brain rot."

I nodded my agreement. "Believe me, I know the feeling. I just finished school, but with the new job, I feel like I'm cramming for exams all over again."

Edward chuckled. "How about this then? The three of us can watch movies and do absolutely nothing useful all day."

"I love that idea," Maggie said.

The weather outside was cold and dreary, but it was cozy inside, and I had to agree that it sounded like a great plan. It had been busy for all of us lately. Between everything else going on in the last few weeks, my new job, and throwing the party last night, I was exhausted. An afternoon of doing nothing sounded heavenly. In addition, the fact that Maggie actually wanted to spend time with the two of us made me inordinately happy.

She picked out the movie, and Edward made popcorn. When he brought it in, Edward and I got as comfortable on the couch as we could, and Maggie made a nest for herself on the floor with throw pillows and blankets.

We watched two movies before I reluctantly excused myself. "I should probably head home now," I said.

Edward frowned. "You don't have to."

"I have about a thousand things I need to do tonight," I explained. "My plants are probably dying, I have mail to check, and laundry to do."

"It'll be more fun if you hang out here," Maggie said.

I laughed. "True. But unfortunately, all those things won't just magically get done unless I go take care of them. We can have another evening watching movies," I promised her and then said teasingly. "Besides, Christmas is almost here, and I have gifts for both of you that need to be wrapped."

Maggie's eyes lit up. "You got me presents?"

Her shock made me laugh. "Of course."

"Oh, well, I guess you can go home then," she teasingly conceded.

Edward followed me up the stairs and helped me pack. "It's getting harder to let you leave," he said as I finished.

"I know," I agreed. "It's getting harder to leave. However, there's a lot that's gone on in the last few days, you and Maggie probably need some time alone. I don't want to wear out my welcome."

He nodded and took a seat on the bed. "I know. She's doing great, but I guess a small break couldn't hurt. What I _want_ to do and what I _should_ do are worlds apart though."

I zipped my bag shut and walked over to him. I straddled him, winding my arms around his neck. He slid his hands into my jean's pockets and smiled at me.

"Someday, you're going to walk through the door to this house and it'll be your home, too," he promised. I closed my eyes for a moment, resting my forehead against his as he continued. "Someday, you're going to sleep in this bed, in my arms every night."

"I can't wait for that day," I said.

**~BtBR~**

I left the house after saying goodbye to Maggie. I mulled over the weekend and the promises Edward and I had made to each other about the future. It was a lot to think about, and I was at my apartment complex before I knew it.

When I stepped into my apartment, I wasn't entirely shocked to realize it didn't feel like home anymore. It was the place where I got my mail, where I stored my things, but Edward and Maggie's home felt like where I belonged.

As I took care of the things on my to-do list and wrapped gifts, I couldn't help but wonder how soon I would be able to move in with them. Not until Maggie was a hundred percent ready, of course. In addition, Edward and I had barely begun the public part of our relationship. It would shift the dynamic some, and we really shouldn't rush things. I knew all of that. However, there was a part of me that wanted to throw caution to the wind. We had been so patient for so many months. Now that we were free to be open about our relationship, I wanted to shout it to the world that I was with Edward. I didn't want to waste another moment.

When I went to sleep that night in my lonely bed, I missed Edward terribly. Nothing in my life quite felt right without him anymore. It was strange how so much had changed. How important he'd become. I thought about Tanya's eagerness to marry Bryan, remembering her words when we'd talked about it a few months prior at the wine bar.

_I'm just eager to wake up every morning and go to bed every night with him. I want his socks in my laundry and all of our belongings mingled. I want to take his last name and be the person who is there to support him when he needs it. I don't want to wait any longer than necessary to be his wife. _

I wanted that all with Edward. I wanted _more_ than that. I wanted to be someone Maggie turned to when she needed advice; I wanted birthdays and holidays with them both. I wanted Tuesday nights and Thursday mornings. I wanted all of the mundane moments of being a family.

Being patient and not rushing things was going to be nearly as difficult as hiding our relationship had been. I sighed and flipped over on my other side, sliding my hand under one of the pillows and tugging it to my chest. Right now, I wanted Edward's arms around me, and I absolutely ached knowing we wouldn't be able to spend every night together.

I took a few slow, deep breaths, reminding myself how far we'd come. In just a few short weeks, we'd made major progress. I needed to stop focusing on what we still _hadn't_ achieved and remember what we _had_.

With that thought in mind, I finally fell asleep.

* * *

**Notes: **That was somewhat of a transitional chapter, but I hope you liked it. You now have a sense of where Alice and Jasper are headed and Alice has apologized and is making a real effort to get to know Edward.

Edward, Maggie, and Bella are all trying to figure out how they fit into each other's lives and what the right pace is for them moving forward. I know you are all dying to know what the future holds when it comes to marriage and children for E&B, but remember how new this all is. Trust me, I won't leave that part out, and although the story is winding down, it certainly won't end without finding that out, and seeing some pieces of their future together.

I have a Facebook group called Discordia's Library. If you'd like to join, add me as a friend on FB, and let me know you'd like to be added to the group.

Please stop by to chat or look for teasers in the following places:

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Copy and paste the links and replace the # with a period.


	32. Chapter 31 - Home

**Notes: **Huge thanks to my pre-readers: Grnidgirl, ShellShock, and Jules Twifanawesomesox; my beta: Alice's White Rabbit; and my Validation beta: Totoro

So glad you all enjoyed the last chapter. This one is Christmas for Edward, Bella, and Maggie, and I think you're really going to like it.

* * *

**Chapter 31: Home**

The next morning, I went shopping for a few last minute things for Christmas. Unfortunately, because it was Christmas Eve, the stores were an absolute zoo. Normally, I didn't let myself get in this position, but I had been so busy this year that I had no choice. It took longer than I would have liked, but eventually, I managed to make it out in one piece with the final stocking stuffers I needed and all of the ingredients for pecan pie.

I made the pie and then packed for the next few days. It took many, many trips to haul it all out to my car, but once I was done, I texted Edward to let him know I was on my way over. When I got to his place, he and Maggie helped me haul everything into the house.

"Are all of these gifts for us?" Maggie asked, sounding a little awed.

I laughed. "No, some are for my parents. I just didn't want to leave them in the cold car until we leave."

"Oh." She sounded almost disappointed, but she smiled at me anyway.

Edward set the stack he was carrying on the counter. "You're just getting coal this year anyway," Edward teased. "Boxes and boxes of coal."

Maggie feigned a pout. "But I've been so good. I deserve a Kindle at least."

He shook his head. "No. Nothing but coal for you, Mags."

She giggled and rolled her eyes, knowing very well he was just teasing her.

The three of us left for my parents' house shortly after that. There was no nervous apprehension on the ride to Silverton this time. I knew Edward and I would receive a warm welcome, and I already knew my parents liked Maggie. I threaded my fingers through Edward's and let the Christmas music on the stereo and the sound of his voice wash over me.

Maggie spent most of the ride texting with her friends, and Edward and I spent it quietly talking. I was happy and relaxed when we arrived, and even the freezing rain that wouldn't quite turn into snow didn't dampen my mood.

The house was warm and cozy, filled with the scents of cinnamon and orange. The greeting my parents gave all three of us was warm, too, and in no time, the presents were tucked under the tree, and we were sitting around it.

Curled up on the couch, with Edward on one side of me and Maggie on the other, I was so happy and grateful for my family, I nearly burst into tears.

Maggie was a little shy at first, speaking quietly only when she was drawn into the conversation, but she warmed up eventually. Once she did, she and my father were thick as thieves.

I had no idea what it was about her that made his gruffness melt away, but his eyes positively twinkled when he looked at her. I watched them together, trying to view her from an outsider's perspective. She _was_ adorable, with her red-gold curls, wide green eyes, and the freckles that dotted her slightly turned up nose. She was cute right now, and as she grew into herself, she'd be absolutely stunning; I had no doubt of that. She was bright and funny, with a clever with and a shy sweetness that was very appealing.

Edward squeezed my hand, and I settled a little closer to him, tucking myself against his side. Realizing I had tuned out a little, I focused my attention back on the conversation. My father was talking about some self-defense training the Silverton PD was holding at the high school. He gave me a significant glance, and I remembered our conversation from a few weeks before.

"That sounds like a great idea," I said. "I learned a lot when you taught me, Dad."

Edward glanced curiously at me and I elaborated. "Growing up, my father taught me some self-defense moves, and I went to one of the community education courses Dad's department offered before I left to go to school in Portland."

"Oh, that's great," Edward said. "I wonder if there's anything like that in Portland."

"Self-defense?" Maggie asked curiously. "Like martial arts and stuff?"

"Kind of," my father answered. "Also, instruction on being aware of your surroundings and ways to be careful in any type of situation. It's just good common sense information everyone should learn."

"Cool," Maggie said.

"If Maggie wants to take a class and you can't find anything in Portland, Edward, let me know," my father said. "I'll arrange something here."

"That would be great," Edward said, sounding surprised.

"Can we talk about something a little more Christmassy?" my mother asked, changing the subject with a grin.

With a laugh, my father and Maggie agreed, but I saw them share a conspiratorial little smile. I loved that they were getting along so well, but I had to admit, it really threw me. I loved it, but it was really unexpected.

**~BtBR~**

With minimal fuss, dinner was put on the table later that evening. It was our traditional dinner of roast turkey, stuffing, and all of the trimmings. My mother had most of it made ahead of time, and for the last minute things, we all pitched in to help. Even my father found himself setting the table. Somehow, Maggie had roped him into it, and he looked slightly bewildered by the turn of events. Apparently, no one had informed Maggie that not all fathers were like hers.

Still, he didn't protest, and he looked inordinately pleased with himself every time she called him 'Chief'. My mother and I were finishing up the last minute touches in the kitchen when she commented on it.

"I don't know what to make of those two," my mother said. "Your father has never taken to anyone like that."

I laughed. "I really don't either. I kind of love it though."

My mother grinned at me. "I do, too."

We carried the last of the dishes into the dining room and took our seats. I slid into the chair that was beside Edward and across from Maggie. I hadn't truly appreciated everything I had a month ago at Thanksgiving, but before I began my meal, I ducked my head and took a moment to reflect on what I had. I was loved and supported by so many people. My gratitude was almost overwhelming.

Edward's arm grazed mine, and I looked over at him and mouthed 'I love you'.

He mouthed it back, and we were so lost in our little bubble that my father had to clear his throat to get our attention. "Green beans?" he said, handing me the dish. "Some of us would like to eat dinner, you know."

His tone completely belied the impatient words though, and I saw the smile hidden under his mustache.

Dinner was perfect. The food was wonderful, the conversation was light and happy, and it truly felt like Christmas. I couldn't think of a time I'd enjoyed it more.

After dinner, we opened gifts. Edward and I had gone in together on a gift card for a nice dinner in town for my parents. He had bought my father the book they'd been discussing on the Civil War, and together we'd picked out a few small baking items my mother had been wanting for a while.

I asked Edward if he and my mother had been conspiring when Maggie opened her gifts. He shook his head no, and I was amazed that she had managed to get Maggie a book, a pair of earrings, and a lotion set she seemed to love. Maggie raved about all of them, and when she immediately slipped the earrings on, I knew her excitement was genuine.

My father had also bought Edward a book on the Civil War, and I would have rolled my eyes at the way the two of them talked enthusiastically about it, if I weren't so grateful that they were finding common ground.

My gifts from my parents were a blend of practical and frivolous, and I loved them all. By the time we finished, the living room floor was covered in wrapping paper, and without any prompting, Maggie began to pick it up.

I leaned against Edward and felt him kiss my temple. "Merry Christmas," he said quietly.

"Merry Christmas."

Once the gifts were opened and the living room tidied up, we had dessert. My mother had made a four-berry pie and homemade vanilla bean ice cream. Of course, Maggie and Edward were ecstatic and had seconds.

It was getting late, and we said our goodbyes shortly after that. Edward went outside to start the car and carry out our gifts. My father and I ended up on the front porch, while Maggie and my mother lingered in the house.

My father leaned on the railing, silent for a long moment before he turned to look at me. "That girl in there is going to be my granddaughter someday, isn't she?"

I drew in a deep breath and nodded. "Yeah, most likely."

"Huh," he said. "I didn't think I was going to be dealing with that for a while. And certainly not an almost fully-grown one."

I chuckled. "Yeah, well, I didn't expect it, either, but I love them both."

"She's a pistol, isn't she? Sweet kid, but she'll keep you on your toes."

"That sounds like a pretty good description of Maggie," I agreed. "I love that you get along with her so well."

"You know why that is, right?"

I shook my head. "No."

He chuckled. "Oh, kid, she reminds me so much of you."

**~BtBR~**

After the staggering comment from my father, we headed out. Maggie fell asleep on the ride back to Portland, and Edward and I were both silent for the most part.

The icy rain had made the roads slick, and Edward needed both hands on the wheel and his full attention on driving. I didn't mind though; the car was warm and cozy, and I trusted Edward to keep us safe. I kept my hand on his thigh, just wanting to touch him.

I stared out the window at the drizzle, watching it turn to snow as we approached Portland. We didn't usually get much snow around here at Christmas. I knew it wouldn't last, but it still made me feel joyous and light. As we drove down Edward's street, I stared at the houses lit with Christmas lights.

"We should do lights on the house next year," I said absently as he pulled into the driveway.

He put the car in park and turned to face me. "I love the way you talk about our future," he said softly.

"I love that we have one," I said.

He kissed me softly and it wasn't until Maggie stirred in the backseat that we broke apart.

We both got out of the car, and Edward woke Maggie. When she stepped out of the car, she looked around in wonder at the sight of the snow, her eyes shining. "Oh! It's snowing. This is the best Christmas ever."

Impulsively, she leaned forward to hug her father and then me. "Thanks, Bella."

"I didn't make it snow," I said, amused.

She shrugged and ducked her head, "Yeah, I know. It's just … better when you're here."

I swallowed hard, having to fight back tears. "It's better now that I'm here with you, too," I said.

She turned around abruptly, reaching into the car for her bag, and I wondered if she was embarrassed. Deciding to let her be, I turned to Edward. He grabbed my hand and squeezed hard, no doubt as overwhelmed as I was by Maggie's comment. I helped him carry the gifts into the house, and we set them by the unopened ones under the tree. Maggie came in with the remainder of the gifts, and we all went back out to the car. My mother had sent home baked goods—of course—and they were still in the trunk. We shuffled cars around, making sure that Maggie's wouldn't be blocked in when she left for Heidi's tomorrow.

I was standing in the entryway to the garage, lost in my own thoughts, when a snowball hit me. I whipped around and saw Maggie grinning at me. There wasn't a lot of snow on the ground, probably less than an inch, but it was wet and heavy—good packing snow.

"I can't believe you did that," I teased her.

Edward got out of the car laughing. "There's only one way to handle this, Bella," he said. "Retaliation."

After the final barrage of snowballs, Edward pulled me down onto the ground, snagging Maggie's coat sleeve to tug her down with us. It was late, nearing midnight, and the yard was lit only by the streetlights and the moon that was half-hidden by the clouds. We lay on the cold, wet ground, staring up at the sky.

Clouds covered most of the stars, but I could see a few twinkling against the dark sky. I could hear Maggie giggling on Edward's other side, and I rolled over and propped myself up on his chest.

Edward lifted his head to smile at me, his eyes crinkling at the corners. "Move in with us," he said, and I froze.

"What?" I asked hoarsely.

Maggie sat up, snow clinging to her hair. "Yeah, you should."

I blinked in surprise at both of them.

"Come on, it'll be fun," Maggie coaxed as Edward sat up to look at us both.

I sat up, too, desperately wanting to say yes but afraid it was too soon.

"It won't be all fun," I pointed out. "It'll be a really huge adjustment for all of us."

She nodded more seriously. "Yeah, I know."

"I just don't want to do this before you're ready for it," I said.

Maggie shrugged. "I meant it earlier. It's better when you're here. Dad's happier, and I … I like having you around."

"I like being here," I said, trying to swallow past the lump in my throat.

"It doesn't have to be tomorrow, Bella," Edward said. "Just think about it. Maybe plan to stay over a couple of nights a week, and we'll work up to you actually moving in."

"My lease is up in a few months," I said, my heart leaping in my throat at the fact that we were talking about taking such a huge step.

Edward smiled at me. "Then you can just leave a few more things here every time you come over, and by the time your lease is up, you'll be mostly moved in already."

"Come on, Bella," Maggie pleaded.

"Yeah, okay," I agreed, feeling a little shaky from the unexpected turn of events.

Maggie beamed, and Edward wrapped my hand tightly in his.

She stood up abruptly and brushed herself off with a shiver. "Brr. It's too cold out here."

"It's also very late," Edward pointed out, standing and pulling me to my feet. "I think it may actually be Christmas Day already. If you don't get to bed, Santa won't come."

"Santa?" she said scathingly as we headed inside. "I'm sixteen, not stupid. Besides, I've known you were Santa since I was six."

Breathless and still laughing, we piled into the house, brushing the remainder of the wet snow from our clothes.

"Merry Christmas!" Maggie said, darting up the stairs. "Goodnight!"

We replied and followed her up the stairs at a more sedate pace. We went up to the bedroom and got ready for bed.

I was just about to strip out of my clothing when I paused. "Did you lock the bedroom door?"

Edward shook his head, hanging his pants on a hanger and tugging a pair of sleep pants on over his boxers. "We're going to be woken up by someone at an ungodly hour, I'm afraid. Maggie may be sixteen, but I guarantee you, she will be up by six a.m. and begging and pleading with us to open gifts. She'll knock, but it's kind of tradition for her to come pester me first thing Christmas morning."

I laughed and pulled pajamas out of my bag as well. "I guess we better get to sleep then."

We crawled into bed, and Edward clicked off the light beside him. He pulled me tightly into his arms and kissed my temple. "Thank you for sharing Christmas with us."

"I've never enjoyed it more," I said honestly. "I'm even kind of looking forward to Maggie waking us up in the morning. It's always just been my parents and me on Christmas morning."

"Not anymore," he said, and I smiled, even though I knew he couldn't see me in the dark.

"No, not anymore."

**~BtBR~**

Sure enough, in the morning, there was a red-headed teenager grinning down at me before it was even light outside. "Come _on_, Bella," she said as I peeled my eyes open, staring at her groggily.

I heard Edward's warm chuckle beside me and felt him squeeze my hand. "Let's give Bella a few seconds to wake up. She's not quite used to this yet." I felt him get up off the bed, and through bleary eyes, I saw him drape an arm over Maggie's shoulder. "We can make hot cocoa, and I'm sure she'll be down by the time it's ready."

"I'll be there in a sec," I promised, sitting up and blinking, trying to wake up.

I tied my hair up and out of the way, splashed a little water on my face, and brushed my teeth. I snagged a warm sweater of Edward's to put on and was downstairs before the marshmallows were even in the mugs.

I got a minty-fresh kiss from Edward when I joined them in the kitchen, and Maggie practically danced ahead of us as we took our mugs of hot chocolate into the living room. She plugged in the lights for the tree and started Christmas music playing while Edward built a fire in the fireplace. I curled up on the couch, watching what I assumed were their typical Christmas morning rituals.

When Edward was done, he took a seat on the couch beside me and took my hand. Maggie sat on the floor near the tree and leaned forward to place a gift on my lap. "We usually open our stockings before the gifts, but I really want you to open this first."

"Okay," I agreed, reaching for the red bow and untying it. I flipped the small gift over, quickly removing the bright wrapping paper. I lifted the lid off the box and saw a small, antique silver frame inside.

In the frame, there was a picture of Edward and Maggie. She was standing slightly in front of him, his arm across her shoulder. They had never looked more alike with their broad grins and bright green eyes.

"Do you like it?" she said anxiously. "I thought maybe you could put it on your desk at work or whatever. I dunno; I thought the frame looked like something you'd like."

I rubbed my thumb across the frame as tears filled my eyes. "I love it," I said, the tears spilling down my cheeks. "It's just perfect." I looked up at Maggie. "Thank you."

She nodded her head with a pleased little smile and went to get the stockings. I noticed for the first time that there were three; two old, worn looking ones with _Edward _and _Maggie _embroidered on them and one brand-new one that said _Bella._

That nearly did me in again, and Edward had to wipe away my tears. I laughed softly and shook my head. "Sorry, this is just …"

"Believe me, I know," he said. And I knew he did understand. He was as happy as I was that the three of us were becoming a family. I'd certainly never replace Heidi in Maggie's life, and I didn't want to, but I had my own place now and that meant everything to me.

Along with plenty of smaller things, I had found a pair of brown leather boots, like the ones I owned, for Maggie. The expression of pure delight on her face when she opened them thrilled me, and she flung herself at me to give me a hug. I held her tightly for a moment, and from the way she hugged me back, I thought maybe she was just as happy as I was that I was going to move in with them.

She was absolutely ecstatic about the Kindle that Edward got her, and he was thrilled by my gift of one of Alice's paintings. I was floored by the four day trip to Vancouver that Edward had arranged for the two of us. We were going to go while Maggie was on a trip to Florida with Jessica and her mom.

We'd leave the following Saturday and had the Monday and Tuesday off of work after that. We'd be in Vancouver on New Year's Eve, and I looked through the brochure of where we were staying, incredibly excited about the idea of a weekend away.

"I didn't plan much for while we're there; I wanted your input on it, but I thought it might be nice to get away," Edward said. "We both talked about wanting to visit Vancouver at some point, so I thought this would be the perfect time."

I nodded. "I love that idea."

After opening the rest of our gifts, we cleaned up and had a simple breakfast. Maggie got dressed to go to Heidi's, and Edward and I got ready to go to his parents' house.

Edward helped her put her Christmas gifts for Heidi in her car, and Maggie hugged us both goodbye. "Have a good day with your mom," Edward said.

She nodded. "I think it'll be okay. Felix won't be there, and we're going to Grandma and Grandpa Stearns' house for dinner."

"Call us if you need anything," Edward said. "Otherwise, we'll see you tomorrow, okay?"

"'K, Dad. Merry Christmas."

"Merry Christmas, Mags," he said. "I love you."

"Love you, too." She left with a wave, and we got in Edward's car.

Edward's parents lived in a beautiful townhouse about twenty minutes away. It was decorated for Christmas, outside and in. Although it was clear they had a substantial amount of money, there wasn't a hint of ostentation or pretentiousness about the place. I felt comfortable there the moment I walked inside.

His parents both hugged me, as did Esme, and Carlisle's smile was warm as he greeted me. It broadened when I showed him the pecan pie I'd made.

"I'm looking forward to trying that," he said with a twinkle in his eye.

The six of us spent the afternoon celebrating Christmas. We enjoyed appetizers and drinks, opened gifts, and I felt like I truly belonged there.

Dinner was formal; all of us sat around a large antique wooden table and ate off delicate china gilded with the letter 'C' on the rim. Elizabeth and Esme had made the majority of the delicious meal, and they were both pleased when I asked for recipes.

Everyone raved about my pecan pie, and Carlisle had two very large pieces.

"This is delicious, Bella."

"Thank you, I'm glad you like it," I said.

He turned to his brother. "Keep her, Edward," he said firmly. Edward brushed his thumb over my jaw and smiled at me.

"Oh, I intend to."

After dessert, as we cleared the table, Edward told the story of me winning Maggie over with chocolate lava cakes. Everyone laughed, and Edward's brother smiled at me. "No one else in the family can make dessert like the pecan pie you made, so we're counting on you from now on."

"No pressure though, right?" I said dryly.

He shook his head, his grin just like his brother's and his father's. "None whatsoever. You've already won us all over."

"Clearly the way to all of your hearts is through dessert," I teased.

He grinned briefly at me but his expression grew contemplative. When Edward disappeared into the kitchen with dishes, he leaned in and spoke quietly, "Well, the pecan pie didn't hurt, but it wasn't just that. I've never seen my brother so happy before."

"I hope so," I said. "That's what I want."

"I had a few doubts about the relationship initially," he said and I nodded, appreciating his honesty. "I thought you were too young to give him what he needs, and with the work issues, I thought it was too risky. But I was wrong."

"Thank you. I understand the concerns you had, but I'm glad you were willing to be open-minded about things."

Carlisle nodded, leaning back against the antique buffet. "With Edward being nine years younger than me, I've always looked out for him. When Heidi got pregnant with Maggie, I knew the marriage was a mistake, but how can you make someone see that if they don't want to?"

I heard a soft chuckle from the other side of the room as Edward walked over to us, throwing his arm over Carlisle's shoulder. "I do actually learn from my mistakes, brother."

Carlisle spoke, nodding at me. "I can see that."

"You should have seen them as children, Bella," Elizabeth said as she joined us.

"I'm sure they were adorable," I said, smiling at the two brothers.

Her hand was cool and soft as she took mine. "Come with me, I can show you."

Edward's mother led me toward the living room, and I helped her get two large, leather-bound photo albums off the shelf. I took a seat on the couch beside her, listening raptly as she flipped through the pictures and described them.

Carlisle had been born in 1964, Edward in 1973. The sight of a gap-toothed young Edward wearing bell-bottoms made me giggle. Carlisle was more serious, but nearly every picture of Edward showed him with a mischievous smile on his face. He had been quite photogenic his whole life, a bit gawky and lanky in his teens, but overall, far less awkward than most boys that age.

When we reached the nineties, Heidi arrived and Edward's smile seemed to dim. There were few pictures of them next to each other, except group photos and a few staged shots where they both looked miserable and uncomfortable. He only looked relaxed and happy in photos he was in with Maggie.

She was a pretty, happy-looking baby, and there was one photograph in particular that I loved. Edward was sitting in a chair holding her; she didn't appear to be any older than six months or so, and she was asleep in his arms. He was gazing down at her with an expression of such profound love that it made my heart skip.

I leaned in to see it better, grazing my thumb against the plastic-covered photo. "That's beautiful," I said quietly, and Elizabeth nodded. I glanced up, meaning to say something to Edward, but he, and the rest of the family, were still in the other room.

I turned back to Elizabeth and saw her looking at me with a small smile on her face. "You love my son and granddaughter very much, don't you?"

"Yes."

She nodded and reached out to take my hand again, squeezing it. "I've been waiting a very long time for them to find someone like you."

* * *

**Notes: **The last chapter may have been a transitional one, but this really rocketed them forward. From Charlie's comment about Maggie reminding him of Bella, to Edward and Maggie asking Bella to move in with them, and Carlisle and Elizabeth's comments to Bella, they have taken some huge steps. I am eager to hear what you thought of the chapter!

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	33. Chapter 32 - Rosewood Hotel Georgia

**Notes:** Huge thanks to my pre-readers: Grnidgirl, ShellShock, and Jules Twifanawesomesox; my beta: Alice's White Rabbit; and my Validation beta: Totoro

Go to the link below if you'd like to see the hotel in Vancouver where Edward and Bella are staying over New Years.

**www#rosewoodhotels#com/en/hotelgeorgia/?gclid=CKHto-r7yrcCFcY7Mgodx1cAYA**

(Copy and paste the link and replace the # with a period)

* * *

**Chapter 32: The Rosewood Hotel Georgia**

Unfortunately, it was back to work for Edward and me the day after Christmas. Since I had spent the night at his place, we decided to drive into work together.

He kissed my cheek in the lobby as we went our separate ways and even the gawkers didn't faze me. I was beyond caring what people thought about our relationship. There were probably people thinking the worst of me; spreading rumors that I was a golddigger and a tramp who had slept with her boss to get a better job, but they didn't matter. Jane had assured me that our jobs were secure, and that, along with Edward and Maggie, were what was important to me. The nosy gossipers weren't worth my time or energy.

Diane kept me busy and, true to her word, my new co-worker, Sarah, helped me get to know some of the other people in the department. The five of us had lunch together, and I was pleased to realize they all seemed like great people. I was the youngest of the bunch—they were mostly in their late twenties to early thirties—but if I could build a life with someone seventeen years my senior, what was befriending people five to ten years older?

After lunch, Sarah informed me that they had standing plans to eat lunch together every Wednesday and that I was welcome to join them. "I'd like that," I agreed, really pleased with the way things were going.

On the ride home that night, Edward and I talked. Somehow, the topic of Christmas and the plans for me to move in came up. We hadn't really had time to discuss it much yet. Once we'd gotten back to Edward's house the night before, we'd taken advantage of having the house to ourselves. We'd made love and then had gone to sleep early, exhausted by the busy past few days.

"I know I kind of sprung moving in on you," he said apologetically, glancing over at me. "But Maggie had asked me about it earlier. She seems ready for it, and it just felt like the right moment."

"It definitely took me by surprise," I admitted, rubbing my thumb across the back of his hand.

"Is it too soon for you? Are we moving too fast?"

"No." I laughed softly. "Not too fast for me, I'm just always worried that we're moving too fast for Maggie. But if she brought it up …"

Edward nodded. "I think she's looking for some stability."

"And her father's girlfriend of four months moving in gives her that?" I asked, confusion tingeing my voice.

"Yes. She trusts you, and she trusts that you aren't going anywhere."

"I'm glad she knows that."

"We both do."

I squeezed his hand as he turned into the driveway and into the garage. "I still think working up to it over the next few months is a good idea."

"Oh, I agree," Edward said. He put the car in park and turned to face me. "We can do it at whatever pace works best for all three of us. I just know that Maggie's right; we're all happier when you're here, Bella." I nodded, reaching up to touch his face. "You should have seen the look in her eyes when she asked me, the hope there was just … it's something that's been missing for a while now."

"What did she say exactly?" I asked softly.

"We were wrapping your Christmas gifts and talking about the party. She just looked up at me and blurted it out—like she does. She said, 'Dad, is Bella going to move in with us?' At first I kind of froze, I wasn't sure how she felt about it, but she gave me this little smile and said, 'It's okay. I want her to. I like it when she's here.' We talked about it more in depth, about the changes that it would bring, and I want her to discuss it really thoroughly with her therapist, but I have no doubts that she wants you here very much."

"God," I said, feeling my throat close up with tears. "I never thought we'd be at this point, much less so soon."

"I know." Edward squeezed my hand. "But she's ready. She cares about you a lot, and I honestly believe this will be good for all of us. This is the life I always wanted: you, me, and Maggie." His voice cracked a little when he spoke. "I finally feel like I have a family."

"Oh, Edward," I said softly, my heart aching at the overwhelming amount of emotion there. I reached for him, letting him tuck me close, as tears spilled down my cheeks. We just held each other for a few minutes, neither of us really needing to speak. I knew how deep that yearning for a close, loving family went, and the fact that I had been able to give that to Edward was incredibly gratifying to me.

My successes with school and my career were important to me, but the relationship I'd built with Edward and Maggie meant even more.

When we went into the house, we found Maggie sprawled out on the couch in the living room reading on her new Kindle. Edward kissed her hello, and she waved at me with an easy, happy smile.

We went upstairs to change and then to the kitchen to make dinner. Maggie joined us partway through and set the table while we finished cooking.

"How was Christmas with your mom?" he asked.

She shrugged. "Pretty good. Um, we opened gifts at the house and then went over to Grandma and Grandpa's."

"Were any of your cousins there?" Edward asked.

I gave Edward a quizzical look and he explained, "Heidi's sister has three children. The eldest boy, Embry, is twenty-two. Jake is … twenty now, I think. And Seth would be about fifteen."

"Embry was with his girlfriend and her family this year," Maggie explained. "Jake and Seth were there though."

"Oh, that's nice that you have cousins around your age," I said to her.

"Yeah, I don't see them a lot but they're pretty cool. Jake brought his girlfriend Vanessa, and she's nice."

"How did it go with your mother?" Edward asked.

Maggie set a glass down on the table and shrugged. "Okay, I guess. It seems like she wants me around, and that's nice. She wasn't on her phone the whole time, and Felix wasn't there."

It made my heart ache that small things like that were improvement, but at least it was progress.

Edward turned away from the stove and looked at her. "I think your mom is really trying, Maggie."

"Yeah, I know." She paused. "Are you mad at her still?"

I looked at Edward, curious to hear the answer to her question. "I'm not sure I can ever fully forgive your mother for how this situation hurt you. But, I have a lot of responsibility in that. I pushed her to be someone she wasn't, and that part of it is all on me. As far as what she did to _me_, I've forgiven her for that. All I want now is for her to be happy, and for the two of you to have a good relationship. I can look back now and think of all of the things I could have done differently over the years, but that won't change anything. What I want to do is focus on the future I have with you and Bella."

Maggie nodded. "Mom and I were talking about maybe going somewhere for spring break, just the two of us. I'm … I'm kind of excited about that."

"That would be nice," Edward said. "I'm really proud of you for working on your relationship with your mom. It's important."

Maggie didn't say anything, but she let Edward draw her into a hug. And when he pulled me close, too, I felt Maggie's arm slip through mine. I slid my hand across her soft curls and thought of the angry girl who'd confronted her father and me in this very same kitchen. I hugged them both closer for a moment. We'd all changed so much since that day.

No matter what lay ahead in our future, I knew the three of us would handle it together, the good and the bad. Whatever life had in store for us, I was going to be there right beside Edward and Maggie.

**~BtBR~**

Over the next few days, I felt like I was settling into the rhythm of the new job. Diane seemed like she'd be an excellent mentor, and I liked the way Jasper ran the department. He was fairly casual; encouraging a lot of collaborative work, but he clearly had very high expectations, and everyone seemed eager to live up to them, myself included. Friday afternoon, Jasper, Edward, and I ate lunch together.

"How are things with Alice going?" I asked him once the room cleared out except for someone across the room who had headphones on.

"Pretty well, I think," he answered. "I'm going to visit her in Seattle this weekend. I'll stay through New Year's Day. On New Year's Eve, we're going to a cocktail party at an art gallery."

"That sounds like fun," I said.

"What about you two?" Jasper asked, looking at both of us.

"Bella and I are going to Vancouver for a long weekend."

"Nice," Jasper said. "Alice planned things this time since I'll be the one visiting her, but I may have to get your help in the future, Edward."

Edward laughed and shook his head. "I didn't plan anything extraordinary."

Jasper disagreed. "You're good with the romantic gestures," he said. "I'm going to have to step up my game."

Edward didn't seem convinced, but I had to agree with Jasper. I had never met a man as romantic as Edward.

When we got back from work that night, we packed for our trip. Maggie had left for Florida that morning with Jessica and her mother. Edward had received a text letting him know their plane had landed safely, and they were headed straight for the beach.

We had a relaxing night and woke up early Saturday morning. The drive to Vancouver took a little over five hours, but Edward and I were never at a loss for things to talk about, so it passed quickly.

The hotel we had reservations at was called the Rosewood Hotel Georgia. It was a boutique hotel, smaller and less ostentatious than some of the others in the city, but no less luxurious. Tucked in the middle of downtown amidst the towering skyscrapers, it was built in 1927.

It had been recently restored, and our ninth floor room had a spectacular view of the skyline.

Anxious to get out after being cooped up in the car for hours, we headed downstairs and out into the city. It was cold but the sun was shining, and we had both dressed warmly. For Christmas, I had bought Edward a grey cashmere scarf to go with his black wool jacket. Seeing him wear it made me smile, and I tucked my arm through his as we meandered through the streets. We had no real set plan for the day; our only goal was to grab lunch and then explore the city.

We found a small café and had a leisurely lunch as we went through a guidebook we'd picked up at the hotel. There were so many places to see we knew we'd never manage them all on one trip, so we picked the ones we wanted to visit most. On Sunday, we planned to visit the aquarium and a couple of museums during the day and have a leisurely evening at the hotel's indoor swimming pool. Monday morning, we'd explore some of the cultural attractions in the city, and then that evening, we'd go to the hotel's Hawksworth restaurant for dinner and a New Year's Eve celebration. I was definitely looking forward to ringing in 2013 with Edward.

We spent most of lunch holding hands, and I could just picture Maggie rolling her eyes at how mushy we were being. I couldn't help myself though, I was dizzy in love with Edward, and I wasn't about to hold myself back.

To my amusement, when Edward left to use the restroom, the waiter hit on me. He came over to see if we needed anything else and smiled flirtatiously at me when he realized I was alone. He leaned in, bracing his hand on the back of my chair. "If you want to ditch the old guy, I could show you around Vancouver. I bet I could show you a much better time than he could," he said with a wink.

I laughed in his face, astonished by the crass and completely ludicrous comment. "First of all, you're an asshole, so even if I were single, I would never go out with you. Secondly, I am clearly happy with my boyfriend, so you're an idiot. And thirdly, that man is _everything_ to me. He pleases me in ways you couldn't dream about." I pulled my wallet out and slapped my credit card down on the table. "Get the check for me and get over yourself."

With wide eyes, he silently disappeared, looking chastened.

I felt a hand on my upper back a moment later, and I glanced up to see Edward grinning at me. He slid into his seat and leaned forward to kiss me. "If I weren't already in love with you, I would be now."

I shrugged. "The guy was an asshole."

"And you handled it beautifully."

"What he said didn't bother you, did it?" I asked.

He shook his head, looking more amused than upset. "No. I don't have any doubts about your feelings for me. There will always be other men who want you, but I have no concerns about you being unfaithful to me." He gave me a lopsided smile. "Now, do I have the overwhelming urge to mark you in some way that shows them all that you're mine? Yes. But you can more than take care of yourself and I trust you. Unequivocally."

My lips brushed his cheekbone as I leaned forward to speak quietly in his ear. "I've seen the women checking you out, too, and sometimes I have the same urge. But I know that I'm the one sharing your bed, your life, and your future."

Edward's hand slid up under my hair, and he kissed me briefly, and very, very passionately. "There will never be anyone else but you, Bella," he promised when he pulled away. My heart felt full at the promise of the future that lay ahead of us.

Without another word, the waiter returned with the check, and then a few moments later with my credit card. I signed for our lunch before Edward and I left the café.

"Well," he said when we were out on the street. "I don't know that I'd bother to go back there. The food was great, but the service was terrible." I laughed and Edward grinned at me, shrugging. "What? I couldn't resist."

"How about we do room service for dinner tonight?" I said. "We can avoid the whole issue and just eat naked in bed."

His eyes gleamed. "I love that idea."

We spent the rest of the afternoon exploring downtown, shopping, and going to several art galleries. We picked up a few small trinkets for Maggie and bought tickets to see the Vancouver Symphony Orchestra. The seats weren't great, since we were buying them last minute, but we didn't care.

We went back to the hotel and relaxed for a little while before getting ready. We had decided to order room service once we got back from the symphony.

Edward dressed in a perfectly tailored three-piece suit, a soft grey shirt, and a silver and plum-colored tie that brought out the green in his eyes. He made me weak in the knees just looking at him. Feeling like being just a little bit wicked, I wandered through the hotel room wearing lingerie and heels, taking my time to tease him.

He knew I was doing it intentionally and retaliated by slowly buttoning his cuffs, slipping in one of the vintage cufflink I'd bought him for Christmas, his eyes never leaving mine.

I paused in front of him, still dressed in just the lingerie. "Why do I have a feeling we're going to have a very late dinner tonight?" I said thoughtfully, straightening his tie.

Edward finished fastening the second cufflink and grinned at me, pulling me close. "Because there is no way I'll be able to wait another moment to touch you by the time we get back."

I looped my arms around his neck as his hands slid down my back to cup my ass. It pressed my body more tightly against his, and I felt the twitch of his cock as he began to harden. He skimmed his nose along my jaw and spoke quietly in my ear. "Because I want to taste _you_ first."

The shudder that went through my body at his words made me grip the hair at the nape of his neck more tightly. "Fuck," I said breathlessly. "I kind of wish we hadn't bought the tickets for tonight."

Edward chuckled and lightly nipped at my neck with his teeth before he let me go. "So do I."

My hands were still a little shaky when I stepped into the black and white dress I'd packed. He helped me put on the long black wool coat my mother had bought me for Christmas, and I grabbed a clutch purse, trying to calm my still-racing heart.

**~BtBR~**

Although the symphony orchestra was very good, I had a difficult time focusing. Instead, I was wrapped up in Edward: the scent of his cologne, the feel of our fingers laced together, and the press of his thigh against mine.

I didn't know what it was that made the evening so charged. Maybe it was our earlier flirtation, maybe it was the opportunity to get away from our everyday lives, or maybe it was just the freedom of knowing that the obstacles we'd faced were over, and we were on a path toward a life together.

The music was beautiful but not as incredible as the man beside me. I found myself just looking at him, drinking in the sight of his strong profile. My eyes moved from the slope of his nose, to the lines of his chin and jaw, and then to the long curve of his eyelashes.

I felt dizzy, and it wasn't from the glass of wine during intermission. It was from him. Neither of us spoke much on the drive back to the hotel. It wasn't until we were in our room and Edward was urgently removing my clothes that he finally spoke the words I'd been feeling all evening.

"How can I possibly need you so much?" he asked, his mouth against the back of my neck as his hands held me close to him. I turned in his arms and kissed him hungrily.

"I don't know," I said breathlessly. "But I need you, too."

Our kisses were heated and hungry as he pulled down the zipper on my dress. It dropped to the floor, and I pushed his suit jacket off and then the vest. I heard the muted thunk of his cufflinks as I undid them and dropped them to the carpeted floor. I worked off his tie, slowly unknotting it and pulling it from around his neck, letting it slither to the floor. He cradled my head in his hands, kissing me deeply and thoroughly as I worked each button out of its buttonhole. I left the shirt on for a moment, my hands splayed on his warm, bare chest as we kissed. I closed my eyes, my body going soft against his, and his arms tightened around me.

The taste of Edward's mouth on mine, the scent of his skin, and the feeling of being in his arms left me light-headed. Sometimes I couldn't breathe, I was so overwhelmed by my feelings for him. At the moment, I could hardly move, or think, or exist without him.

My hands slid down over the bare expanse of his chest, across his ribs and then around to his back, up under the shirt. His mouth left mine, trailing down my neck to my shoulder as he unhooked my bra and dropped it to the floor. His fingers lightly traced down over my collarbone and to my breast, softly caressing the side as his thumb brushed my nipple. My head fell back as a low, needy moan left my lips. "Edward," I whispered.

As frantic and urgent as my need for him was, I loved the slow exploration; the sweet, appreciative touches made me feel cherished and adored. He slowly stepped back, his eyes raking over me as he spoke, "As beautiful as you look, just like this, I want you completely undressed."

I shivered at the tone of his voice and the way he was staring at me. I slowly kicked off my shoes and hooked my thumbs in the waistband of my lace panties. Edward watched me as I slowly pushed them down and let them fall to the floor. "Like this?" I asked huskily, striding toward him.

He nodded and his eyes never left mine as he shrugged off his shirt. I stopped just in front of him as he undid his belt, the leather sliding slowly through the loops. I watched as he unbuttoned and unzipped the pants and toed off his shoes and socks. When he sat back onto the edge of the bed, he was naked. I settled over him, winding my arms around his neck as his hands slid over my thighs.

I stared down into his eyes. They were so green, so alive with love and tenderness. I brought my hand up, my thumb gently brushing over the creases at the corner of his eyes. I loved them, every part of him, but something about the way his eyes crinkled always made me melt. They were a sign of age, yes, but of life, too. Of the life he'd lived, of who he was. I cherished them.

I tilted my head, kissing that spot, and then the same spot on the other side. He closed his eyes for a moment before meeting my gaze again.

"Edward … I …" my voice cracked.

He cradled my face in his hands, drawing me closer to him. "I know, Bella. I know."

There was little we needed to say; our emotions simmered on the surface so plainly that speaking was unnecessary.

We kissed for a long time, slowly and tenderly as our hands caressed each other. Eventually, Edward sank back, pulling me down with him and rolling so I was under him. He slid down my body, his hands leaving warm tingles in their wake and his lips were so gentle as they trailed over my skin. My eyes closed, my head swimming with pleasure as his mouth met the softness between my thighs. Wet and aching for him, I arched up to meet his lips and tongue, quiet gasps of desperation and need leaving my mouth. I shook as Edward's mouth devoured me. Naked against the luxurious sheets, in the middle of the huge bed, I writhed under his touch.

I came, over and over, until I pleaded that I needed to feel him inside of me. And then he was, and I lost myself in him. There was nothing but the sweet, slow slide of him within me and the feel of his arms around me. I felt his mouth on mine, our tongues stroking and tasting. When we couldn't breathe anymore, his head fell against my neck, his lips softly caressing the skin there as he murmured to me.

There were words, sweet words, but they melted together until I could _feel_ what he was saying more than I could hear it. I murmured them back, promising to love him and always be with him like he'd just promised me. My hands wrapped around him, fitting him as close to me as possible. I was mindless with pleasure, completely unaware of anything but the man inside of me.

I came, not with a shouted cry of pleasure, but a quieter, more desperate gasp. I shook under him as he came long and hard within me.

There was something in his eyes I couldn't quite recognize as he collapsed onto me, falling so his shoulder was resting on the mattress beside me, his legs still thrown over mine. We looked at each other for a long time. His gaze was so intense, so powerful, I couldn't look away.

Something was simmering in him. There was something right on the tip of his tongue; I didn't push, but let him form the words in his own time.

His warm hand came to rest on my stomach, lingering there as he finally took a deep breath and spoke. "Do you ever think about it, Bella?"

"Think about what?" I asked, my breath catching in my throat at the way he was looking at me.

"About having a child together." His thumb brushed against the bare skin just below my navel, and my heart raced at his unexpected question.

"Yes," I said breathlessly.

I shifted so I could see him better. He looked at me, his expression serious. He hesitated a moment before he spoke. "I want it. I love Maggie, and if you don't want children of your own, I will be fine with that. But I won't lie, Bella, having a child with you is something I want very much."

I threaded my fingers through his and clutched him tightly. "Oh, Edward, I want it, too. I could be very happy with just you and Maggie, but I _want_ to have your child."

"There are reasons why we probably shouldn't," he pointed out, and I nodded. "My age and your career are a couple of major ones."

"True. Although as far as my career goes, I have the position I've been working for. Any advancement would be a move into management, and that's probably at least ten to fifteen years off. I don't think I'd be comfortable having a baby right _now_," I admitted. "I just got hired, and with our relationship … I think that could create all sorts of problems. But in a few years? I'll have proved that I earned my place there, and if we want to, I think we could make it work."

Edward pushed my hair off my forehead, his thumb rubbing softly against my cheek. "I just don't want you to ever feel like you have to sacrifice your career ambitions for me."

"I don't," I said, my voice growing more passionate with every word I spoke. "I _know_ you support me and my success. But I want a family with you. If it ends up being the three of us, I will be happy. If we have a child together, that's even better."

"And my age?" he asked. "I don't want you to feel rushed."

"If we wait say … three years, you'll be forty-two. You'd only be sixty when he or she graduated high school."

"Something could happen though. What if you ended up having to raise a child alone?"

"You're healthy and very active. So unless you know something I don't, it's just as likely that something could happen to me. Life's a gamble, Edward. I don't want to spend it wondering what if. We took a risk even starting this relationship. We didn't have any guarantees of it working, but look where we are. Look how far we've come."

"There's just something about the thought of creating life with you … picturing you carrying _our_ child … I don't even have the words for it," he said roughly.

He leaned down and kissed me tenderly. His hand splayed out on my belly, warm and strong. Maybe someday, the little brother Maggie had always wanted would be growing inside me. The feeling that went through me at the thought of that told me just how much I looked forward to that day. There was still one more thing I wondered about though.

"What about marriage?" I asked when he pulled back.

"I want it," he said bluntly, his lips dropping to caress my ring finger as if imagining a ring there. "In fact, I thought about asking you tonight. I almost did. I know we haven't discussed it, and even if we had, it's too soon, but that doesn't change how much I want it." His fingers toyed with my hand again. "But only if you do, too. I'll never again make the mistake of trying to force that. If you don't want it, I'll still be with you. In the past, I thought things had to go a certain way; that I'd only be happy if I was married, with a child, and it all happened in just the right order. It doesn't matter how we go about it; all I know is that I want to be by your side for the rest of my life."

"I want it, too." I laughed softly, joyous at the thought of marrying Edward. "So much. I want the rest of the world to know that I promise to love you for the rest of our lives, and I want to take your name. I just didn't know if that was something you'd want to do again."

"My first marriage was a mistake," he admitted. "But promising to spend the rest of my life with you could never be."

"Then I want it _all_, Edward. I want to be your wife. I want to be a family with you and Maggie. And someday …" My hand covered where his was again pressed against my stomach, and I threaded our fingers together.

"Someday," he echoed, and leaned in to kiss me again. It sealed the promise of the life we were building together beyond what either of us had ever dreamed of finding.

* * *

**Notes: **For a long, long time, I planned to end here. I wanted things to end on that happy note, with them looking into their future with hope and excitement.

That being said, I just wasn't ready to let go of these characters and I know you aren't either, so there are 3 more chapters, kind of an extended epilogue and tour of their future. So, we have three more chapters to go that will skip forward into their future and show you some nice glimpses of their life together.

I'd love to hear what you thought of the chapter, and especially what you thought of Bella and Edward's plan for the future.

I have a Facebook group called Discordia's Library. If you'd like to join, add me as a friend on FB, and let me know you'd like to be added to the group.

Please stop by to chat or look for teasers in the following places:

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	34. Chapter 33 - Delta Park

**Notes:** Huge thanks to my pre-readers: Grnidgirl, ShellShock, and Jules Twifanawesomesox; my beta: Alice's White Rabbit; and my Validation beta: Totoro

Big thanks to Les Sharpe who let me bug her with endless questions about soccer, and read through it to make sure I hadn't gotten it all wrong. I wuv her.

And hugs to DaniWithGreenEyes for reassuring me that the soccer part sounded natural. *phew* You guys are awesome.

The chapter jumps forward a few months into the future. Maggie is now 17, and Bella is living with them full-time.

* * *

**Chapter 33: Delta Park**

A light drizzle was coming down as I helped Edward and Maggie lug equipment from Edward's car to the soccer field. It was a Saturday in late March, and today was the first game of the season. It was being held at Delta Park: a huge public complex in North Portland. Edward and Maggie had tried to teach me how to play soccer. I was probably never going to be very good, but it was fun, and I loved spending the time with them. Edward was patient with my fumbling attempts, and Maggie was amused. At the very least, I grasped the basics of the games and felt like I could follow what was happening. I'd gone to a fair number of practices in the last few months, and my interest in soccer was more about supporting the two of them and being involved in something they loved so much than anything else anyway.

Maggie was always eager to have me there, and I was completely smitten with Edward the coach. I glanced at him as I hauled a heavy duffle bag full of gear to the far field and nearly dropped the bag. The man looked stunning in the suits he wore to work, edible in jeans and a sweater, but something about the sight of him in athletic gear drove me insane. Maggie had gone home with a friend after the first practice I attended, and I'd attacked a sweaty and rather surprised Edward the moment we got back to the house.

"_What has gotten into you?" he asked with an amused glint in his eyes. I backed him up against the door that led to the garage and kissed him again. I pulled away to nip at his jaw and neck with my teeth. _

"_You look really hot like this," I said, sliding my hand up under the black, form-fitting Under Armour long-sleeve T-shirt. "And you coaching … yeah, that's hot, too."_

_Edward chuckled and kissed me deeply. "I'm betting you'll be going to all of the practices and all of the games then."_

"_Mmmhmm," I said, my fingers deftly untying the strings on the waistband of his athletic pants. "Absolutely. Now shut up, I need you _now_."_

What had followed was a very satisfying romp in the shower. Eager, enthusiastic sex had quickly become a habit after practices—at least when Maggie wasn't home. And when she was, we were so worked up by the time we went to bed it was even more satisfying, only incredibly difficult to keep quiet.

"Do you need help with that?" Edward asked, slowing down so I could catch up with him. I smiled up at him, hoisting the bag higher on my shoulder. I shook my head. "No, I'm okay, just got distracted."

Today, Edward was dressed a bit more officially in a polo in the team colors of black and green. The team logo and name, Green Lightning, were on the front and his name was on the back. He had on athletic pants and shoes, and I had to tear my eyes away from his ass and the way his long legs looked in the thin fabric.

I was proudly sporting a team shirt, as well, with Cullen emblazoned on the back. I might not be Edward's wife yet, but I was here for him and Maggie, and I'd gotten a bit of a thrill when Edward handed the shirt to me this morning. Edward liked it, a lot. I'd noticed his appraising gaze, and I had to admit the thought of one day being Isabella Cullen was sounding very good.

Several trips back and forth between the car and the field made me appreciate that Edward and I had started running together, although my arms were quivering as I dropped the final bag to the ground. "You all right?" Edward asked teasingly. "You're awfully young to be so wiped out from this."

"I'm fine." I made a face at him, but I loved that he felt comfortable teasing me about my age. We had fully moved past any awkwardness there. We'd received a few negative comments from random people we encountered, but we let it roll off us. They were irritating, but the foundation of our relationship was too solid to let a few close-minded people shake it.

One day when we were all out together, Maggie became very irritated by a thoughtless comment a clerk made about Edward taking his two daughters to the bookstore. Maggie snapped at her, "Lady, I don't know what kind of family you think we have, but that is definitely not my sister. She's my dad's girlfriend and my … my Bella."

I'd had to fight back a smile, both at her fierce defense of us and the fact that the old woman was clearly unobservant, considering the fact that I had my hand in Edward's back pocket and his had slid up under the hem of my shirt at my waist. Maybe the old woman had bad vision, or maybe she just wasn't paying attention, but I loved the way Maggie stood up for us and called us a family.

It had made me think though, especially about the way Maggie hesitated about what to call me. It was hard for her, knowing I wasn't her mother, I wasn't her stepmother, and she had no real title to call me, but I was more than just her father's girlfriend. We talked about it, and she reassured me that it didn't matter what the title was, I was important to her, and I reassured her that I was doing my best to be whoever she needed me to be.

As usual, she cut through the extraneous bullshit and summed it up simply. "You're Bella. Our Bella. That's all we need."

The girl made me cry more often than I cared to admit, usually because of sweet comments like that, but once or twice out of frustration as all three of us began to fit our lives together. She tried so hard, and for the most part, things went well, but she was sixteen—well, seventeen now—and had her frustrating moments.

"You're a million miles away," Edward commented, and I glanced up at him.

"Yeah, sorry. It's good stuff. Just thinking about the last few months."

"It has been good, hasn't it?" He gave me a soft smile and I nodded.

"Some of the best in my life."

I loved my job, I loved the comfort and sense of belonging I had with Edward and Maggie, and I loved the road we were all headed down.

"Mine, too." He curled his fingers around the back of my neck and brushed his lips over mine. "Now, I have a game to go coach. Do you need anything before I round the girls up?"

"Nope, I'm good." I lightly swatted him on the ass. "Go get 'em, Tiger."

He laughed loudly, and I saw a number of women, and a few of the girls on Maggie's team, look over at him. He was always handsome, but right now, happy and grinning, dressed casually in the team gear, he looked at least ten years younger than he was. He was vibrant, charismatic, and I felt a little thrill go through me knowing he was all mine.

I grabbed my folding chair from the pile of gear on the ground and set it up along the sidelines. A few of the team mothers waved at me, and I waved back. For the most part, I liked the majority of them, although there were a few who'd made their opinion on my relationship with Edward very plain. One or two treated me like I had been the reason for Edward and Heidi's marriage ending. Some, I suspected, were dealing with their own issues as divorcées who had been left by their husbands for younger women. And a few more were probably women who had hit on Edward, whether they were married or not, and been shot down by him. The vast majority, though were kind and welcoming, and as we got to know each other, they relaxed. A few had even commented on how great Maggie was doing and what a change they'd seen in Edward.

The praise and acceptance far outweighed the detractors, and I had become quite good at knowing how to handle it all. The fact that I was, for all practical purposes, a soccer mom at twenty-three was occasionally a little jarring, but I was trying to take it all in stride.

I watched as Edward called the girls over to him, his expression serious but kind as he talked to them. I could hear the rise and fall of his voice, but I couldn't make out the actual words. He was very good with them; I'd seen that at the numerous practices I attended. The girls looked up to him, and he was patient but firm as he kept them on task and pushed them to be their best. I knew a few of them. Maggie's friends Jessica, Lauren, and Amy were on the team, and I was getting to know the rest. Jessica still wasn't my biggest fan, but she wasn't rude to me, and she seemed to respect my authority on the rare occasions the girls were over and Edward wasn't around.

When the opposing team, the Falcons, appeared on the field, dressed in red and white, Edward finished up his talk with the girls, sending them to one side of the field to warm up, and strode over to the other team's coach. They greeted each other with friendly handshakes, and I took a moment to watch him. He had an easy, confident presence on the field, and the younger coach looked a little bit in awe.

The two captains for each team took the girls through warm-up drills as Edward and the Falcons' coach supervised on the sidelines. I liked watching him, liked imagining seeing him play for UP and what it must have been like as he coached Maggie throughout the years. Sometimes it made me wistful, wishing for the impossible. A part of me wanted to be Edward's age, to have been the one he met in college, to have been the woman who gave birth to Maggie and raised her alongside Edward.

But no matter how much I wanted that, it didn't change the fact that I wasn't. Intellectually, I knew that Edward and Maggie wouldn't be the people they were now if not for the experience they'd had with Heidi. A small part of me was envious of the life they'd had together, all the time I would never, _could never_, have with the people I loved most. But for the most part, I was content to be who I was. Just their Bella.

When my attention returned to the field, the girls were still doing drills, and Edward's assistant, one of the college-age brothers of a girl on the team, was helping the goalie warm up. The entire place was organized chaos. With all six of the soccer fields in use today, there were people swarming everywhere, and it was almost overwhelming.

I glanced at my phone when it buzzed in my pocket and saw a text from my mother letting me know that she and my father weren't going to be able to make it to the game like they'd hoped. A nasty traffic accident had him tied up at work, and it didn't look like he'd be free for a few more hours.

I replied that I understood but that we looked forward to seeing them at another game, and she responded that they certainly would be there the next time and to send Edward and Maggie their love.

The relationship between my parents and Edward and Maggie was continually growing, and it thrilled me that they were all getting along so well. The rest of our friends and family planned to attend some of Maggie's games as well, but for today, I was the only one on the sidelines cheering her on.

The shrill sound of a whistle brought my attention back to the field, and I slipped my phone back in my pocket, not wanting to miss a moment of the game.

The co-captains from Maggie's team met the opposing team's captain in the center of the field for the coin toss. Maggie's team won the coin toss, and they picked which goal to defend and that they were going to kick to start the game. While that was going on, Edward huddled the girls together for a quick pep talk, and with an eager cry, eleven girls took their places on their side of the field.

Edward looked my way, and I grinned at him, giving him a small wave which he returned with a wink. He turned away, and I knew his focus would be on the field for the rest of the game. I caught a glimpse of a small wave from Maggie as she took her place, and I waved back, my heart absolutely bursting at being a part of this. She turned away, and I smiled to myself at the serious and determined expression on her face as she straightened the headband she wore. It was chilly sitting out in the rain, and I was grateful for the heavy coat and warm hat I wore.

With the shrill sound of the ref's whistle, the game began. Maggie was one of the team's forwards, the position Edward had played at UP, and she was strong and incredibly fast. As little as I knew about the game, I could tell she was good. Not the best player on the team but certainly up there.

For the most part, my eyes stayed locked on Maggie as the ball moved from player to player, with occasional glimpses to see Edward's reaction.

I was so busy watching the game that I didn't notice the person who set a chair down next to me and took a seat.

"May I speak to you for a moment, Ms. Swan?" the woman asked, and I turned to see Heidi staring at me expectantly.

"Uh, sure," I said, straightening up, startled and vaguely alarmed. The interactions we'd had over the last few months had been polite and distant, but I always felt like I was waiting for the other shoe to drop. Overall, she'd done really well, and she and Maggie were making major progress rebuilding their relationship. There had been a few setbacks, but Maggie was beginning to trust her mother again, and she'd tapered off to just seeing the therapist once a month.

I stared at Heidi, trying to interpret her expression. I couldn't seem to get a read on her though. She was an enigma to me. I did my best to remain calm, not wanting her to see me squirm. She clasped her perfectly manicured hands together but didn't say anything.

The silence seemed to stretch on and on, and I finally couldn't take it another moment. "What did you want to talk about?" I asked her.

She wet her lips and hesitated for a moment before taking a deep breath. "I want to see if we can find some common ground."

I look at her in surprise. "Why?"

"For Maggie. I want to do what I can to make her life a little easier."

"I'm glad to hear that, but I'm not sure I really understand."

"Whether I wanted to like it or not, you've become a huge part of Edward's and Maggie's lives, and I don't see that changing."

"I certainly don't have any plans for it to," I said bluntly. My lease had been up the previous week, and I was officially moved into the house with Edward and Maggie. It hadn't been all smooth-sailing in that regard either, but we were settling into a good routine, and I knew all three of us were much happier together. Figuring out the new dynamics had been challenging, but a part of me was actually quite happy the first time I told her she had to clean her room before she left to hang out with her friends, and she stomped off muttering that I was just as bad as her father and slammed the bedroom door. Without question, Edward was still her parent, and the ultimate authority on what she was and was not allowed to do, but I had my part, too.

Heidi looked at me thoughtfully and then down at her feet, sighing. "You know, I never understood Edward. Maybe I didn't try hard enough, but we never understood each other at all. He wanted me to be someone I wasn't, and I wanted him to be someone he wasn't. When we first met, he seemed so ambitious, so driven and career-oriented, like I was."

"He has been very successful," I pointed out, not entirely sure how that related to her wanting to find some common ground with me.

"I know that. But I had visions of a life where he was CEO and I was on the board of directors. I had this idea that we'd be a power couple; we'd run this hospital together. I wanted the power and the prestige, and I wanted Edward by my side for that. He's charming, charismatic, and damn good at his job."

"But that was never what he wanted, Heidi. He wanted a career where he could help the hospital run better. He wanted to run the administration side of things so doctors could take better care of their patients. It wasn't the power for him, it was the patient care. It was about years spent hearing his father talk about the frustrations of dealing with the bureaucracy and politics when all he wanted to do was do a better job treating patients."

"You really understand him, don't you?" she asked, sounding surprised. "What makes him tick. In a way that I never did."

"I hope I do."

She nodded thoughtfully then looked away. We both watched the game for a few minutes before she cleared her throat. I glanced over at her, and she gave me a sad smile. "I know you have every reason not to like me. Although he was probably fairly tactful about it, I am sure Edward hasn't painted a pretty picture of our marriage. Truth be told, I was never what he wanted. Our expectations for what a relationship would be like were very far apart. You probably think I'm cold and heartless. Maybe I am."

"I …" my voice trailed off. I had no idea how to respond to that. "Why are you telling _me_ this, Heidi? Maggie and Edward need to hear it far more than I do."

"I know, and I have every intention of telling them. But I think you should hear this, too. You're a part of this now; the least you deserve is an apology … and an explanation."

"Okay." I leaned back in my chair, trying to focus on both her and the game.

She continued. "I was a shitty wife to Edward. Truthfully, I wish I'd been strong enough to tell him no when he asked me to marry him. I didn't want to be a mother _or_ a wife. I should have given birth to Maggie and handed her over to Edward. He was, and will always be, an incredible father. She might have been better without me. But I do love my daughter. I can never regret that we made her or that she's a part of my life."

"Not every woman is cut out to be a wife and mother," I said. "There's nothing wrong with that."

"I know."

"Can I be blunt with you?" I asked and Heidi nodded.

"In a lot of ways, I get where you're coming from. I know it's twice as hard to be a woman in management, especially at your level. Women often have to fight harder than men to achieve the same level, and even then, we're called all sorts of derogatory names. I haven't experienced it, but it doesn't mean that I'm unaware of it either. And I think being a mother and a wife makes that harder."

Heidi nodded. "It does."

"A woman is treated harsher for not being involved in her child's life than a man would be. If the roles had been reversed, Edward would have been praised for his ambition. He might have gotten a few comments about how he was too busy for his family, but it wouldn't have been the same."

"You're right there," Heidi said grimly.

"I _get_ that. But you made a choice to be a parent, and you squandered it. You treated Edward horribly and neglected a sweet, wonderful girl who just wanted her mother's attention."

Heidi closed her eyes for a moment and then nodded, her jaw tight and set.

I tried to soften my voice. "I'm not trying to lecture you. I'm not saying I have it all figured out, I just want you to realize what an impact you had on both of them."

"I'm nearly twice your age and yet you _do_ have it all figured out." I couldn't quite tell if it was sarcasm or bitterness in her voice that I heard.

"No, far from it," I protested. "I just … I just want you to understand them. I want you to know how amazing they both are. Look, I'm not as ambitious when it comes to my career. I want to be successful. I want a challenging, dynamic job I can excel at, but the status is pretty immaterial to me. And I can honestly say right now that I'd give it up if it meant losing Edward and Maggie. That's _my_ choice. I'm not saying you should have done the same thing. Your choices are your own."

"You're quite the feminist, Ms. Swan," Heidi commented.

I shrugged. "Maybe. Mostly, I'd like to think I'm someone who's been given a chance to choose whatever type of life I want because of ambitious women like you."

She glanced at me out of the corner of her eye but didn't reply, so I continued. "Look, just because I want a career and to be a mother doesn't make me think less of you because you focused on your career."

"You do think less of me because of the way I treated Edward and Maggie though."

"Yes," I said honestly, "but that's because I care about them, and I'm protective of the people I love. I don't know if it makes any sense to tell you that I don't judge you for your ambition but for the consequences of your choices. If you'd divorced Edward and then moved on with someone else, I'd feel a lot differently."

Heidi sighed heavily. "I think it goes without saying that when I cheated on Edward the first time, I was at a point where I was deeply unhappy. I was resentful and felt trapped being a mother and a wife. And later, with Felix … well, I had this idea that Edward didn't care. Truthfully, I always assumed he had someone on the side. It seems impossible that he went for that many years without anyone."

"He wasn't with anyone else though."

"I know that now. Maybe I just wanted to believe it so I could justify my actions. Felix was so much like me. I know you probably look at me and think that I was crazy for being with Felix when I was married to Edward, but Edward was too soft for me, too family-oriented. Neither of us was fulfilling the other's needs although, looking back, I regret that I didn't end things, for his sake and for Maggie's. I would have gone on as we were until Maggie was in college, maybe longer. We were acquaintances raising a child together. I was content with that."

"But Edward _wasn't_. He was miserable. Do you have any idea how long it took him to trust that I cared for him and that I wasn't going anywhere? The scars you left on him went pretty deep."

Heidi closed her eyes for a moment before meeting my gaze again. "I'm sorry for that, and I do plan to tell that to Edward."

"Good."

She was silent again, staring out at the field. "This sounds odd, but I'm glad he has you. I think you're exactly what he needed. You make him very happy."

I nodded. "Thank you. I'm certainly trying."

"No, I can see that you do. You two are made for each other." She laughed ruefully. "You're exactly the woman he tried to force me to be. But I'm not you, and I never could be. I shouldn't have let things go on so long." She took a deep breath. "I just want to say that I'm sorry that I behaved so awfully to you. I was bitter and vengeful and willing to ruin your life and Edward's to feel better about myself. I'm sorry for that. But more than anything, I am sorry that Maggie got hurt in the process. I'm a selfish woman, Ms. Swan. Always have been, maybe always will be. But the look on my daughter's face when she found out what I'd done broke my heart. I never, ever wanted to be the cause of that."

I was silent for a long moment, staring out at the field where Maggie was playing. I could see her copper ponytail bobbing as she ran. "She was so hurt. She cried for days after that. Edward said she was inconsolable. It's taken her a long time to come to terms with it."

"I know, and there is no way for me to ever truly atone for that. But I want you to know that I have been trying to do everything I can to make that up to Maggie."

"I'm glad to hear that." I looked over at Heidi and our gazes locked. "She's really special."

Heidi nodded and was silent again for a while. I turned my attention back to the field just in time to see Maggie score a goal. I leapt to my feet, cheering for her along with the other fans there to support the girls. Even Heidi cheered, although she looked vaguely uncomfortable and out of place in her designer jeans, trendy boots, and jacket. Still, she was there, and she was trying, and that was what Maggie needed.

We both focused on the game for a while, and when she spoke next, I was completely taken aback.

"Felix wants me to move to Chicago with him," she said.

I looked up at her in shock, wondering if our earlier talk had just been a prelude to her telling me that she was either leaving Maggie or wanted Maggie to go with her.

She must have seen my alarmed look, because she spoke hurriedly. "I'm not going. Maggie's only a junior, and I won't leave while she's still in high school. I'm honestly not sure if I'll leave even once she's in college. It was always my plan but …" She spread her hands wide, shrugging helplessly. "Things change."

"You're staying for Maggie?" I asked softly and she nodded.

"Felix wouldn't stay until she graduated, and I won't leave her now. So, we ended things. It's just as well, I found out after he was the one who blabbed to the damn hospital that Edward caught us in bed together," she said, a trace of bitterness in her tone.

"That's going to mean a lot to Maggie that you chose to stay for her," I said. I wasn't surprised to find that out about Felix, I'd always suspected he was the one who had started the gossip.

Heidi nodded. "I'm almost forty, and it took me all this time to finally figure out that there was something as important as my career." She sighed. "It's a strange feeling to know that you, this twenty-three year old girl, is a better partner and mother than I will ever be."

I shook my head. "Better partner for Edward, yes. But I'm not Maggie's mother, and I'm not trying to replace you in her life. I love her, and I'm glad she's a part of my life. I'm just trying to be whatever she needs me to."

Heidi sighed heavily. "I appreciate you saying that, but sometimes I think you've done better than I ever could. She's come to respect you and rely on you very much. You're a good influence on her."

"Thank you," I said, feeling surprisingly humbled by Heidi's praise. "Half the time I wonder if I know what I'm doing. But I'm trying."

"That's why I wanted to speak to you today. This bitterness and hatred that Edward and I had between us spilled onto you last fall. But you've been remarkably gracious about everything. I'm not suggesting we become friends; I think that's out of the question. However, if we can work together and all three of us can focus on Maggie, I think that would be for the best. I want to try anyway."

"I'd like that." We looked at each other for a long moment, and I held out my hand. "And call me Bella."

She nodded once and shook my hand, uncomfortable, but clearly sincere.

We didn't really talk much for the rest of the game, which was fine by me, I was happy to focus on how Maggie was playing. And ogle Edward. Still, if Heidi was committed to improving her relationship with her daughter, that was great news to hear.

The girls won, 2-1, and after an enthusiastic celebration at the edge of the field, Maggie and Edward headed over toward me. Maggie chattered excitedly at a million miles an hour the moment I was in earshot. "Did you see that goal of mine? Holy crap, I never thought it would make it in."

I saw the moment Edward realized Heidi was right next to me, his eyes widened imperceptibly, and I smiled reassuringly at him before turning my focus to Maggie.

"I did; you were awesome," I praised her with a wide smile.

Wrapped up in her own little world, Maggie didn't see her mother, and she hugged me enthusiastically. "I am so glad you were here. It's really nice having someone on the sidelines cheering for me."

"You had two people today," I told her, hugging her back and then stepping aside so she could see Heidi.

"Oh! Mom!" Maggie's face lit up, and although it made me a little sad at how surprised she was by it, I could see how happy it made her.

"You did great," Heidi said, hugging her daughter, the hard lines of her face softening a little. I turned away to give them a moment together, and Edward and I walked a few feet away.

"Everything okay?" he asked.

"Yeah, everything's fine," I said, surprise lacing my voice. "It's actually really good. We talked for a bit. I guess Heidi has some stuff she wants to talk to you and Maggie about, but it's good, I promise."

"Okay," Edward said, clearly puzzled, but willing to wait to find out what it was. He leaned in and brushed his lips against mine. "I love having you here at the games with us."

I smiled and ran my hands down his chest. "Mmm, I love being here. I love being here to support Maggie and shamelessly stare at you while you coach."

He laughed and pulled me in for a quick but deep kiss. "I love _you_, Bella."

"I love you, too,"

**~BtBR~**

While Maggie talked to her mother and Edward supervised the team packing up their gear and lugging it off the field, I took care of my folding chair and slid it into the canvas bag. I was just about to see if Edward had his keys or if he'd given them to one of the girls on the team when a voice to my right spoke.

"You're a lucky bitch, you know that?" a woman said. I turned my head to see the mother of Maggie's friend Jessica. She was a bit more like Heidi than I cared for, rather vain and working too hard to hold onto her youth. She also had a bit of a crush on Edward, which wasn't hard to see at all. Although she'd never had a chance with him, I thought she was a little put out that I'd succeeded where she never had. Edward had downplayed it when I asked him about it, although that came from modesty rather than trying to hide anything, I was sure. He might not have realized she still had the hots for him, but I did.

Not that I blamed her. Spending so much time hanging around soccer fields, I'd seen plenty of guys playing lately, and some of them were half Edward's age. They were nice enough to look at, but none of them were anywhere near as attractive—as far as I was concerned anyway.

"Yeah, I know," I said, with a small smile. I turned to look at her and a startled expression crossed her face. Perhaps a bit of Tanya's boldness had rubbed off on me over the years, because I found myself less and less concerned with being polite to people who were rude to me. "But you know what? I worked my _ass_ off to earn it."

She looked taken aback by my comment and scrambled to come up with a response. "It's just … none of us thought Edward would ever settle down again after the divorce. Other than being young enough to be his daughter, what did you offer him that no one else could?"

"Love," I said simply. "That's all."

I turned on my heel and walked away, joining Edward and Maggie. Heidi had left, and Edward put his arm around my waist and draped the other over Maggie's shoulders. "So, can I buy my two favorite people in the world ice cream to celebrate?" he asked, looking relaxed and content as we headed back to the car.

Twenty minutes later, as I dragged my spoon through raspberry-swirled vanilla ice cream, I looked at the copper-haired girl across the table, frowning in concentration at the double chocolate fudge ice cream cone she was eating. The man beside me had a nearly identical look on his face as he devoured his peanut butter cup ice cream. I smiled as I lifted my spoon to my lips, watching them both.

Five months prior, when I sauntered across the break room floor to kiss Edward, I'd thrown caution to the wind. I'd risked my career, my friendships, and my family to be with him. In return, I'd gained the love of my life, and a ridiculous, wonderful, and occasionally annoying teenager. It had been worth every risk, every sacrifice, every moment of frustration, and every tear. They were worth _everything_ to me.

I set my ice cream down and fished my phone out of my bag. As I held my camera up to take a picture, a strand of hair threatened to end up in Maggie's ice cream cone and Edward reached out to tuck it behind her ear. Maggie looked up just then, with an exasperated but loving look on her face. The camera flash startled them both, but I loved that moment being preserved forever. They were mine. Edward was the man I was going to marry someday. Maggie was the young woman who looked to me for guidance and affection.

I loved them both so fiercely it felt like my chest would crack in two.

When a middle-aged woman sitting behind us asked me if I wanted her to take a picture of me with my family, I nodded and handed her the phone, blinking back a few tears. With Edward on one side, his temple resting against mine, and Maggie's cheek pressed to mine on the other, I knew then that absolutely nothing in the world would ever, _ever_ matter more than being a part of their family.

* * *

**Notes: **Who has a cavity from the sweetness? And what did you think of Heidi's conversation with Bella? She's actually come quite a long way, and I think you can see how committed she is to doing what's best for Maggie.

I have a Facebook group called Discordia's Library. If you'd like to join, add me as a friend on FB, and let me know you'd like to be added to the group.

Please stop by to chat or look for teasers in the following places:

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	35. Chapter 34 - Edward's Desk

**Notes:** Huge thanks to my pre-readers: Grnidgirl, ShellShock, and Jules Twifanawesomesox; my beta: Alice's White Rabbit; and my Validation beta: Totoro

I'd been mulling over the idea of doing an outtake of E&B sneaking into work and being naughty on his desk for a while now. When BtBR hit 2000 reviews for BtBR, I wrote it. But when I tried to decide when to post it, I realized that it would work perfectly as a piece of the epilogue/glimpse into their future.

It became so much more than just a fun little romp for them, and I think you'll really love it.

* * *

**Chapter 34: Edward's Desk**

The building was deserted. On Saturdays, there were usually a few doctors who came in to do paperwork, the odd employee putting in overtime, and some support groups who met in the conference rooms. Otherwise, offices and testing were closed, and there was rarely anyone there.

Our footsteps echoed in the otherwise silent building. My heart was racing, thudding way too fast in my chest, and my palm felt sweaty against Edward's.

As we hit the carpet our footsteps went silent, and I glanced around, seeing the familiar desks in my former department. My desk—Bree's desk now—was neat and tidy, with a couple of pictures and a pretty blue mug on it along with a few office supplies. It had been two and a half years since I'd left the department for my current position in marketing, and I still loved my new job. Sure, there were days when I really just wanted to stay in bed with Edward; but who could blame me when I woke up every morning to a man like _that_? Most days, though, I was eager to go to work. The job was challenging and exciting, and I loved the people I worked with.

I glanced over at Liz's former desk. I didn't know the new girl who had been hired to take her place, but I was just glad that Liz was gone. Her gossiping ways had finally caught up with her when a board member overheard her gossiping about a patient. It was one thing to gossip about your co-workers, but there was zero tolerance for that sort of behavior when it came to patients, and she was out of here so fast her head must have spun. Apparently, with Liz gone, Amber was doing great, and Edward was much happier with his department.

"You're quiet," he murmured, and I turned to look at him.

"Sorry. Lost in my thoughts," I said.

He gave me a crooked smile and reached up to straighten his tie. We just happened to be walking right by the infamous break room, and I leveled a knowing look at him. I reached up and tugged at his tie teasingly.

"Up to your old tricks again, I see," I commented.

"Mmhmm." I knew he was wearing the familiar silver and blue tie just to tease me. The man seemed to thoroughly enjoy doing that, and well, I didn't have any complaints. I happened to be wearing his favorite black pencil skirt, a rather snug white cashmere sweater that clung to all the right places, and a pair of black heels that were just a bit higher than the ones I typically wore. I was just as much of a tease.

Life with Edward was good. We both loved our jobs and had settled into a comfortable, although never boring, relationship. Maggie was in college, and Heidi was much more tolerable than she used to be. We were never going to be friends, nor did either of us want to be, but there was little animosity and things usually ran quite smoothly when we did interact.

The large office filled with desks belonging to the administrative assistants was empty, like it was most Saturdays, but I took one last glance around before we disappeared into Edward's office. It had changed since the first time I'd stepped inside. It was just as tidy and organized, but now there were framed photos on the desk and a few personal items on the shelves. It looked more welcoming, much like our house. Kate had worked miracles on the place, and Edward, Maggie, and I all loved it.

The click of the lock on the office door made me jump, and Edward gave me a concerned frown. "Everything all right?"

"Just nervous." I wet my lips, my heart rate picking up again.

He closed the distance between us, and his hands curved around my hips in a familiar gesture as he walked backward, tugging me with him. "We don't have to do this."

I laughed shakily. "I want to. Believe me, I _really_ want to. I'm just nervous we'll get caught."

When the back of his knees hit his chair, he shifted me so I was directly in front of him and lifted me just high enough to set me on the desk. He sat back in his chair, and I caught a glimpse of the powerful, confident executive he was. Most of the time, he was just Edward. The funny, amazing father. The romantic man I was in love with. Sometimes, seeing him in his office, or throughout the building when he was working, sent a thrill through me though. Edward in charge was incredibly sexy.

Right now was one of those moments. Unconsciously, I leaned back, propping my hands on his desk and crossing my legs. His eyes followed my every movement, from the way my chest jutted forward, to the way my skirt rode higher on my legs. His voice was a little husky when he spoke. "Doesn't the thrill of getting caught add to it, just a little?"

I nodded, feeling the wetness between my thighs start to grow. "Yeah, it does," I admitted.

He sat forward, slowly running his hand up my bare leg, starting at the ankle. "This is a fantasy of both of ours, remember."

My breath caught in my throat at the heated, hungry look in his eyes. "I remember."

His hand slipped under the hem of my skirt, making my skin prickle with anticipation. We had been talking about this for years, and we'd finally taken the plunge today.

He stood up, gently parted my legs, and leaned forward, bracing his hands on the desk so his face was just inches from mine. "I seem to remember a very beautiful woman who seduced me into fucking her on the break room counter. What happened to her?"

I laughed softly and wrapped my hand around his tie as we both straightened up. I shifted forward, wrapping my legs around his thighs and letting my skirt ride higher. He pressed his forehead against mine, and I let myself sink into the feeling of just being with Edward.

"Apparently, I've grown up," I said teasingly. "That was … three years ago."

I could hear the smile in his voice as his hands moved to my back, skimming slowly over my sweater as he shifted me forward. I slid my other hand between our bodies, brushing against the front of his suit pants. I felt his cock twitch, and he groaned softly.

"Yeah, well, after all this time, you still make me hard without much effort at all," he said teasingly. "I'd hate to think I don't turn you on as much as I did then."

I pulled back just far enough to give him a disbelieving look. "Who almost got us caught by Maggie when I just _had_ to give you a blowjob in the kitchen the other morning?"

He laughed. "You would think we'd have free rein in the house now that she's moved out … and yet …"

"We should change the locks on the doors," I said jokingly.

"That's okay, I'm pretty sure she figured out what she interrupted. I don't think she'll be barging in like that again," Edward said.

"I love that girl, but I almost strangled her," I admitted.

"You think you did?" He raised an eyebrow at me. "I contemplated disowning her."

I laughed, knowing he didn't mean it in the least. My hand began to move again, and I felt his cock lengthening and thickening at my touch.

"So, do you still want me?" he asked teasingly.

"More than ever," I said, and his eyes crinkled at the corners as he smiled warmly at me. "I love you, Edward."

"I love you, too," he replied.

My hand pressed more firmly against his erection, my thumb teasing over the head. I felt the rumble in his chest as he pressed his lips to mine in a wet, open-mouthed kiss.

The feel of his tongue against mine and his strong hands sliding up under my sweater made my nerves evaporate. In their absence, all I could feel was desire. The kiss deepened as I tilted my head and removed my hand from between our bodies. He pulled me tightly against him so his hips were nestled between my thighs, my skirt nearly around my hips now.

His hands roamed over me, his touch sure and eager. Sex had only gotten better with Edward. He knew every inch of my body, knew what every tiny gasp and moan meant. We certainly weren't bored with each other by any means.

His thumb brushed across my nipple, through the lace of my bra, and I arched into his touch. He kissed me more insistently, and I buried my hand in his hair. It was a little longer than usual, he was overdue for a haircut, and he groaned when I tugged lightly on it. His mouth was rough as it moved down to my neck, sucking lightly.

My hips arched up to meet his, feeling the sweet friction of his cock through our clothes. "Please, Edward," I pleaded with him.

He tore his mouth away from my neck and leaned over me, staring down at me with a hungry look. I looked up at him, my breathing rough and ragged. Maybe it was just because I was madly in love with him, but I would swear he was more handsome than he'd ever been. There was a little more grey hair at his temples, maybe a few more lines around his eyes, but there was also a contentment that had been missing when we met.

Although at the moment, I was a bit distracted by the expression of desire in his eyes and the fact that his lips were slightly swollen from kissing me. His hands trailed down my body as he sank to his knees. My heart hammered in my chest when he parted my thighs, his warm hands slowly moving them apart.

I pressed a hand to my chest, my breathing heavy and strained. I wasn't sure I'd _ever_ been this eager. Not even the first time. He trailed kisses up my thighs, before hooking his hands in the waistband of the lacy thong I was wearing and yanking it down. His lips were hot and wet as they moved up my thighs again, stopping halfway up.

"Do you know how often I imagined doing this to you here on my desk?" Edward asked roughly.

"You've told me before," I said with a gasp. "But tell me again."

He chuckled against my skin, his voice a little rougher and a little deeper when he spoke. "Every damn day, Bella. I walked by you in the morning and pictured you here, spread out like this in front of me. I imagined how you'd taste, pictured the sounds you'd make when you came. I was desperate to do this to you."

I bit back a moan, and he continued kissing up my thigh. His lips brushed over my wetness, his warm breath making the sensitive skin there tingle. Gentle teasing kisses became soft, slow licks, and I moaned.

He pulled back. "Shh, you have to be quiet."

I nodded, biting my lip as his mouth returned to my body, his fingers parting my folds so he could lick between them. My thighs trembled as his tongue touched my clit, alternating passes of his tongue over it with circles around it. My hands clamped down on the edge of the desk, my back bowing up as my hips lifted to meet his eager mouth.

"Oh, Edward, please," I begged quietly. "_Please_."

He pulled away long enough to blow a cool stream of air over me, and I felt my stomach tighten. His mouth returned to my pussy and it was eager and hungry. I managed to stop myself from crying out, but only by gripping the edge of his desk harder, feeling the sharp corner dig into my palms. I was shaking when his mouth finally left my skin, and he gently soothed me by running his hands up and down my thighs.

I looked up at him dazedly as he stood, stripping out of his suit jacket and tie. Watching Edward put on and take off a suit was one of those things I knew I would never grow tired of. My chest was still heaving as he unbuckled his belt and opened his pants. He worked the buttons on his shirt loose, but left it on, and let the pants drop to his ankles. I was amused to see that, like the first time we'd had sex at work, he was going commando. Only this time, I knew it was intentional.

"Tell me what you want, Bella," he coaxed me.

"I want you," I pleaded. "I want you to fuck me on your desk. Picture me as the girl I was then, forbidden to you, someone you knew you could never have. Fuck me like it's the only chance you'll ever have with me."

Over the years, Edward's confidence had grown. The more secure our relationship became, the less he held back. Now, he didn't pause before he yanked me forward so my ass was right at the edge of the desk. Instead, he plunged into me, his cock going so deep I gasped. After a quick glance up at my face to make sure I was okay, there was no hesitation, no break in his rhythm.

"You drive me crazy, Bella. I see you every day at work, teasing me. You're so goddamn beautiful, so sexy. I can't even think straight. I have to touch you, taste you, make you mine."

I shuddered at his words and clenched around him, making his jaw tighten. He leaned forward, bracing his arms on the desk and fucked me harder.

"I go home at night and jerk off, thinking about your ass in the skirts you wear, thinking about your legs wrapped around me like this. Once I even jerked off here in my office."

"Fuck that's hot," I said breathlessly, my hands caressing his biceps. "I get so turned on seeing you here at work, too. Thinking about you sitting in on board meetings, thinking about you in charge. You walk by me and I can't even think straight. I get so flustered, and I end up squirming in my chair. You can't imagine how wet it makes me just to see you slip your hand in your pocket, to see the way your ass looks in a suit when you do."

He angled his body over mine, driving into me more deeply. "You know why I do that, right?"

I moaned softly. "No."

"Because I get so goddamn hard every time I see you."

Neither of us spoke after that as our orgasms built. Edward thrust into me smoothly and deeply, his hips tilting just right to hit the one spot that always sent me over the edge. When he did, I gasped, grabbing the back of his head to bring his mouth down to mine. I kissed him desperately, his mouth muffling the stifled sounds of pleasure I made as the orgasm tore through me. He followed a few moments later, his body shuddering against mine.

With a breathless laugh against my lips, his hips slowed and he stood up, his arms going around me to bring me with him. He staggered back into his chair, our bodies and lips still connected. The kiss slowed, and I dropped my forehead to his shoulder.

"Holy shit."

"Unhuh." Edward kissed my hair as I pressed my palm against his chest, feeling his heart racing beneath the skin.

"God, fucking love you," I said, and he laughed.

"Good?" he asked teasingly.

I drew back. "You are still rendering me into a useless blob of jelly with your cock," I said breathlessly. "Yes, it was good, although I'm not sure that even begins to cover it."

"Mmm, for me, too."

I grinned at him, sliding my hands through his thick hair, idly toying with the silver-streaked copper at his temples. "Did it fulfill your fantasy of having me on your desk?"

"More than."

We spent a long time coming down from our orgasms, softly talking and kissing. Sure, it was frantic and dirty, thrilling because of where we were and the fact that we could get caught. But no matter what the sex was like, there was always so much love between us.

Eventually, I unwound my body from his, and we cleaned up and pulled ourselves together. When we were convinced that we could step out of his office without looking like we'd thoroughly ravaged each other, Edward scooped up a file from his desk and unlocked and opened the door. My nerves once again reappeared as I worried someone might have realized what we were up to. What if I'd been too loud?

To my relief, the place was still deserted as Edward and I left his office. "You sure you don't want to try out the break room?" Edward asked quietly as we passed it.

I laughed and tugged on his tie teasingly. "I'm sure. We've successfully pulled off sex at work twice, let's not push our luck."

He grinned and wove his fingers through mine. It wasn't until we hit the lobby that we saw someone. We both stopped short when we saw Jim Henthorn—the CEO—coming down the stairs. I tensed, but Edward's thumb was gentle on the back of my hand as he stroked it reassuringly.

Jim raised his hand in greeting and smiled. He'd been a bit stand-offish at first after we first came out as a couple. I had a feeling he suspected we'd been together longer than we admitted to, but he never pushed the issue. I was glad to see that he seemed comfortable with the idea of Edward and me together now. "What are you two doing here on your day off?"

I choked, but Edward was calm and relaxed when he responded, holding up the file he'd picked up before he left his office. "Just had to grab some paperwork. How are you doing, Jim?"

"I'm great. It's been quiet around here today." He chuckled. "I swear, you two are the hardest working couple here at Providence. Here on your weekends off, even."

I tried not to laugh, and I could see Edward fighting back a smirk. "Like you should talk; you're here. I think we got everything taken care of that we needed to though. Have a great rest of the weekend, Jim."

"Thanks. You, too, Edward." He nodded at me. "Mrs. Cullen."

I glanced down at my ring with a smile as Edward and I headed out of the building to the car. I had officially moved in with Edward and Maggie in March of 2013, just six months after Edward and I began dating. The following June, he proposed.

"_Close your eyes," Edward whispered softly, and I did with a smile. The weather was beautiful, and as he carefully led me out onto the terrace behind the house, I sighed and relaxed, looking forward to a low-key weekend. Maggie was out with friends and then would be spending the night at Heidi's house. Apparently, Edward had planned a romantic dinner at home for the two of us. _

_It was something he'd done several times since we'd begun dating, and it was always a great way to wind down after a long week at work. It was often casual, but this time when I opened my eyes, I noticed he'd gone all out, with crystal and china and soft music playing in the background. _

_The food was delicious, and we ate our meal leisurely, talking about our plans for the summer. School was out for the year, and rather than switch to weekdays with Heidi and weekends with Edward like she had in the past, Maggie had decided to stay with us during the week and go to Heidi's on the weekend like she did during the school year. Her relationship with her mother was improving, but still not quite what it was before Maggie found out the truth about Heidi's infidelity. They were both trying, and Heidi's decision to end things with Felix rather than leave Portland had gone a long way toward showing Maggie that her mother valued her, but it would take time._

_Although I'd been a bit apprehensive about it, Edward had included me in the discussion with Heidi about Maggie's living arrangements. It was nerve-wracking, stepping into a more official role as one of the adults in Maggie's life, but it had gone surprisingly well. Heidi was disappointed, but very reasonable about it, and although it was an awkward conversation, there had been no arguing. We were all committed to putting Maggie's happiness first, and I was grateful it had all been accomplished without having to go to family court to re-negotiate the custody agreement. _

_Frankly, I was pleased that Maggie was staying with us and that I'd have more time with her. In a year, she'd be graduating, and Edward and I both wanted as much time together as a family as possible. The three of us had settled into a good routine, and Maggie often came to me for support and advice. Without question, we were a family now._

_When Edward brought out dessert, I paused, frowning thoughtfully down at my fork after I took my first bite. "This tastes like my recipe."_

_Edward smiled at me. "It is. Maggie made them for us. She made the whole dinner, actually."_

"_What a sweetheart." I set my fork down and shook my head in astonishment. "What's the occasion?"_

_He set his napkin aside. "I have a very important question to ask you."_

_My heart raced in my chest as he stood and dropped to one knee in front of me. The sun was setting, and the air was soft and warm. The late evening light lit everything with gold, and Edward nearly glowed. He pulled a ring box from his pocket, and I could barely even draw in a breath, I was so overcome. My hand was shaking when he took it._

_He spoke softly, his voice calm and sure. "I never dreamed that I'd find a future like this with you. There is nothing about me that you don't know, Bella—the good and the bad. You know my fears and my weaknesses, and your strength is what brought us to this point. Without you, I hate to think what kind of a life I'd be leading. How much both Maggie and I would have missed out on. Because of your love, we are stronger and happier than we ever would have been without. _

"_I want to spend the rest of my life showing you how grateful I am for that. I want to spend the rest of my days loving you, building a life with you. _

"_I hope that Maggie and I can bring you as much happiness as you've brought us. From the very beginning, you understood that a life with me included a life with Maggie, and every day, I'm in awe of the way you've helped the three of us become the family I always dreamed of. _

"_So, I ask you this both as Maggie's father and as the man who loves you. Will you marry me, Bella? Will you spend the rest of your life with Maggie and me?"_

"_Yes," I said thickly, tears spilling down my cheeks. "Oh, God, yes. There's nothing I want more, Edward."_

_We kissed as he knelt in front of me, and when I pulled back, I felt the cool circle of metal as he slid the ring on my finger. I wiped away my tears and glanced down at it. It was gorgeous._

"_Do you like it?" he asked. "I know it's isn't very traditional."_

"_I love it," I said, awed. "It's perfect."_

_The ring was made of rose gold, and the princess cut diamond in the center was a soft champagne color with a faintly pinkish hue. There were small white diamonds around it and more that covered the entire narrow band. It was the most unusual, stunning ring I'd ever seen. _

"_It's vintage," Edward said. "The jeweler said he'd never seen anything like it before. He thinks it was custom made sometime in the 1950s."_

"_It's … amazing, Edward. I love it." I loved that it was vintage and that it was one-of-a kind; something I would never see another person wearing. The design was tasteful and classic, but the unusual color stone and metal made it just offbeat enough to suit me. _

"_There's a matching band to go with it for the wedding."_

_I looked into Edward's eyes and got lost for a moment, able to see nothing but the pure contentment there, the overwhelming love. I lifted my hand and placed it on his cheek, my thumb gently stroking the skin there. He stood and took my hand, helping me to my feet. He gently turned me, and I saw Maggie hesitating in the doorway, so excited she was practically shaking. _

"_Oh!" I said, surprised and pleased. "You're here! That makes this perfect."_

_She darted over to us and threw her arms around me. "I'm glad you said yes."_

_I kissed the top of her head and hugged her tightly. "I could never say no to you two. I love you both so much."_

"_Love you, too, Bella." Her voice was quiet, and my heart stuttered in my chest. It wasn't the first time I'd told her that, but it was the first time she'd returned the sentiment. I knew she felt it, but she hadn't been quite ready to verbalize it until now._

_There was nothing I could say, nothing I could do, except hold her tighter for a moment. She pulled away eventually, a little bashful and uncomfortable. "Thank you for dinner; that was such a sweet gesture, Maggie."_

"_You liked it?"_

"_It was delicious."_

_She looked down at my hand. "You like the ring?"_

"_Love it," I said firmly. "Did you help pick it out?"_

"_Sort of. Dad showed it to me before he bought it."_

"_It's perfect. All of this was absolutely perfect."_

_She beamed at me and gave me another hug. "Awesome. Now I'm out of here for real. I am actually spending the weekend at Mom's so you guys can be all mushy."_

_Maggie disappeared into the house, and Edward's arms slid around my waist. He murmured in my ear. "I'm planning to be a lot more than mushy tonight."_

_Our wedding took place just a few months after he proposed, almost a year to the day after the break room tryst. _

_Rather than plan something large and elaborate, Edward and I chose to get married in the brick courtyard of his favorite restaurant, with just our closest friends and family around us. It was intimate and romantic, with only Maggie standing up for us. We wove her into the ceremony in a few small ways, and although the ceremony was brief, it was deeply meaningful for all of us. _

_My dress was a simple column of ivory satin, with a row of tiny buttons down the back to give it a vintage flair, and Edward wore a grey, three-piece suit. Maggie's dress was a softer grey, and the flowers were shades of ivory and blush, all soft colors that looked incredible as twilight deepened, and we said our vows by candlelight._

_Promising to love and cherish Edward were the easiest words I'd ever spoken. In an echo of mine, Edward's ring was made of rose gold, a simple wide band with a soft, brushed detail. I slipped it on his finger, looked into his eyes, and spoke softly. "Edward, the first time I kissed you, I never dreamed that one day I'd be standing here, pledging to spend the rest of my life with you. I never dreamed that I could be so happy with you and Maggie. Whatever happens, no matter how difficult life gets, I promise to be beside you both. I will fight for you, love you, support you, and I will never take it for grated how lucky I am to have found you."_

_We celebrated with dinner and dancing in the courtyard after, and as I slowly swayed to the music, my head on Edward's shoulder, my heart was full and happy._

"Bella?" Edward said softly, and I blinked, realizing we were already home. "Are you sure you're okay? You've been really distracted today."

I smiled and unbuckled my seatbelt. "I'm fine. I've just been feeling very nostalgic today. I keep thinking about our past."

"Any particular reason?" he asked, as we headed into the house.

"Yes." I paused in the kitchen and turned to face him.

He gave me a puzzled smile and looped his arms around my waist. "Why is that?"

"I've been thinking about our future."

"Our future?"

"Mmhmm. You know that _someday_ we always talked about? That's now."

I could see the realization slowly dawn on Edward as my words sank in. "Oh, Bella," he said with a soft exhale. "You're ..."

I nodded, beaming at him. "I'm pregnant."

"I'm so happy." His voice was husky, and his eyes were shining.

I swallowed, my eyes welling up with happy tears. "Me, too."

He sank to his knees, his fingers sliding below the hem of my sweater to cup my stomach. I'd been suspicious for several weeks and had taken a test that morning. I'd been planning to take him out to dinner to tell him that night, but I'd taken this unexpected opportunity instead. As he gently pressed his forehead to my stomach, I thought maybe it was perfect and right that it had happened this way. Today, we'd gone from sex at work back to the house. It was so reminiscent of our first day together that I chuckled as I slid my fingers through Edward's hair.

His joy was palpable. I could hear him murmuring something, talking to the child that was growing inside me. _Our_ child.

No doubt there were people who would have found frantic sex at the workplace sordid, but I could only look back on it with a sweet nostalgia. That moment had changed the lives of so many people. Not just my life, or Edwards, but Maggie's, Heidi's and that of our friends and family. That of our future child.

I reflected back on the thoughts I'd had that first time I stood in Edward's kitchen. I'd thought what we had was fleeting, that it couldn't last. I'd been bewildered by what I wanted, uncertain of what he wanted. And yet I'd felt an undeniable pull to him. Even then I'd known that if any sort of a relationship was going to work, it would be a long road to get there.

It _had_ been a long road.

Lust had become love. Love had become commitment. But no matter where we began, it was how far we had come since then that mattered. And how far we had yet to go.

* * *

**Notes: **I hope you liked the naughtiness of their fun in Edward's office, and a chance to see a bit about their wedding and how Bella told Edward she was pregnant. I hadn't originally intended to include the bit where she told him, but it just seemed to fit there. I'd love to hear your thoughts on the chapter.

And remember, there's one more chapter after this to wrap up the story!

I have a Facebook group called Discordia's Library. If you'd like to join, add me as a friend on FB, and let me know you'd like to be added to the group.

Please stop by to chat or look for teasers in the following places:

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	36. Chapter 35 - The Future

**Notes:** I hardly know where to start when it comes to thanking people for their help with this story. In the eight months I've been working on it I've had a number of people help me out and I can't thank them enough. First of all, to Sunflower3759 who beta-ed the original one shot and helped me write the summary. To LisaDawn75 originally, then Kherisma, and then Totoro for validating on Twilighted.

To Mandi Nikko, Deb Arrington, and Sandy from Southern Fiction Review for being my first pre-readers for this.

Enormous thanks to my pre-readers who helped me with the bulk of the story: Grnidgirl, ShellShock, and Jules Twifanawesomesox.

And biggest thanks of all to my beta Alice's White Rabbit who not only helped me tidy up my grammar, but did so much to help me out with the plot issues I was struggling with. She helped me get down on paper the way I saw this story in my head.

And thanks to all of you for your lovely reviews. I always love getting feedback on this story and hearing your opinions on the ways the characters have grown.

When I wrote the one shot, I only had a vague image of these characters and where I wanted them to go. But I've truly fallen in love with them—especially with Maggie. She's stolen my heart and I know she's stolen a lot of yours as well.

So it's with mixed feelings that I mark this story as complete as I post the epilogue, set at Maggie's college graduation. Enjoy.

* * *

**Chapter 35: Epilogue – The Future**

"It seems hard to believe it's been over four years since my graduation," I said, turning to look at my husband.

Edward smiled and shifted David to his other shoulder, patting his back gently. I'd given birth to him ten months prior, and he was getting so big. He was an easy-going baby for the most part, sleeping through the night, and eager and curious to take in the world around him during the day. We were lucky parents.

Edward and I were at the Chiles' Center for Maggie's college graduation. The last three years had absolutely flown by, and the fact that she was graduating from college already was a little bit staggering. Between her A.P. courses and taking classes during the summer, she'd completed her pre-med program in three years.

"I'm having a very hard time believing my little girl is all grown up," Edward admitted. He pressed his lips to David's head for a moment, smiling at me. "At least we have quite a while before this one is ready to graduate."

I ran my finger across David's cheek and his long lashes fluttered. He was such a beautiful baby, although I was, of course, just as biased as every other mother out there. To my surprise, he had taken after me more than Edward, with dark brown hair and very fair skin. His eyes were a curious mix of mine and Edward's though, a hazel color with both brown and green in them. At less than a year old, it was very possible that might still change.

His expressions were very reminiscent of Edward and Maggie though, and I loved that. Maggie had been delighted to get a little brother finally, and my fears that she might think we'd love her less because we had a child of our own were unfounded. I knew it helped that she was already in college and beginning her own adult life by the time we had him. Still, it made me happy that they were so close. She lived in the dorms at UP the first few years, and then an apartment, but came home to visit fairly often. Once David was born, she happily babysat for us every chance she got.

Juggling two full-time jobs and a newborn baby wasn't exactly easy for Edward and me, but we made it work with help from our friends and family. Shelly Cope, my former coworker in the patient registration department, had found herself bored by retirement. Shortly after David's birth, I ran into her in the pharmacy and mentioned we were still trying to figure out childcare when I was done with maternity leave. She lit up, offering to watch him for us, and it turned out to be the perfect solution. She had raised five children and was one of the sweetest, most trustworthy people I knew.

Elizabeth and my mother were happy to spend as much time with their grandson as possible, but Shelly was the perfect solution for the day-to-day care. David adored her, and it made it much easier to leave him in her capable hands than send him to daycare with a stranger.

Someone slid into the seat beside me, and I smiled when I realized it was Maggie's fiancé, Liam.

"Hi, Liam," I greeted him. Maggie and Liam had become engaged over the holidays, and were getting married at the end of the summer before Maggie went to med school.

.

"Hey, Mrs. Cullen." He glanced over me at Edward. "Mr. Cullen."

Edward shook his head. "How many times are we going to have to remind you that you can call us by our first names?"

Liam shrugged and ducked his head a little bashfully, "I don't know, probably a thousand more."

The day Maggie had come home from a tour of UP absolutely giddy, I suspected there was a boy involved. And there was. His name was Liam, he was a twenty-one year old pre-med student, and she was smitten. Of course, she was only seventeen, and still a senior in high school, while he was four years older, and about to graduate college.

A few days later, she confessed to us that they'd exchanged phone numbers and he'd contacted her already. Edward was not amused. He did his best to remain calm while she gushed about Liam and waited until we were in the bedroom to blow his lid.

"_She's seventeen, Bella, and he's … twenty-one! He's too old for her!" he ranted. _

"_Edward," I said gently. "All they've done so far is text each other and talk on the phone a few times."_

_He groaned and sat heavily on the bed. "I knew this day would come."_

"_When Maggie met a guy she liked?" I asked._

"_When she met an older guy. Seriously, that's just my luck."_

_I gently cupped his cheek in my hand and tilted his head to look up at me. "It's not the end of the world."_

"_She's going to throw our age difference back in my face if we tell her she can't date him."_

"_Probably," I agreed. "And honestly, yes, four years is a bit of a gap at that age, but it isn't the end of the world. Maggie's very mature."_

_He sighed. "I know she is. I just … don't like it."_

_I leaned forward and pressed my forehead to his for a moment. "I know you don't. But if you aren't careful, you're going to start acting like my father." _

_Edward grimaced. "Am I being that bad?"_

"_No, you were actually quite calm with her, all things considered. I just want you to remember that when she tells us that he asked her out on a date." Edward groaned and fell back on the bed. _

"_You think he will?"_

"_I think you have a very beautiful, very bright, and funny daughter. Yeah, I think this guy will probably want to go out with her. He'd be an idiot if he didn't."_

"_What do I do? I mean, my instinct is, of course, to tell her no. But she's allowed to date, and I don't actually have any good reason to say no other than the fact that I don't like it."_

_I chuckled. "Well, I think it would be pretty reasonable if you asked to meet him first. Other than that though …" I shrugged. "She's headed off to college in four months. She'll be able to do whatever the hell she wants. I think your best bet is trying to be reasonable about this. Meet the guy, get to know him, and trust that Maggie is a good judge of character."_

_Edward grumbled a little more, but agreed. He knew I was right, even though every instinct in him wanted to forbid Maggie from seeing Liam. What Edward finally admitted to me was that it made him uncomfortable realizing that Liam was actually a year closer in age to me than to Maggie. It was an odd, discomfiting realization, but that didn't change the fact that Maggie was over the moon about the guy._

_When Liam did ask Maggie out, he readily agreed to meet us first. He was tall, and a little lanky, with dark brown hair, brown eyes, and a sweet, boyish smile. He was certainly cute, but not quite the complete and utter dreamboat Maggie described. I smiled to myself when I realized just how smitten with him she was._

_To Edward's surprise, he liked Liam. He didn't really want to, but it wasn't hard to see that Liam was smart, ambitious, and hard-working. He was planning to be a doctor, was on the Dean's List, and was polite and well-mannered. And it didn't take long to see that he was just as smitten with Maggie as she was with him._

_I would never really understand a father's over-protectiveness of his daughter, but I deeply appreciated that Edward had learned his lesson from the experience with my father and that he was willing to listen to reason. He gave her a few reminders about being careful that had Maggie squirming uncomfortably and the usual rules about curfews and expectations, but he didn't go overboard. He stepped back and let Maggie date Liam, and soon, even Edward admitted that Liam was good for her._

_Neither of us had really expected their relationship to last through the last few months of her senior year of high school, let alone all the way through college. They had a few minor rough patches, especially during her sophomore year of college, which I thought was perfectly normal. But ever since then, their relationship had been solid, and now they were engaged. _

A hand touched my shoulder, and I was jolted out of my reverie. "Sorry to startle you," Elizabeth said, smiling at me. I got up and turned around to greet my mother-in-law.

"It's okay. Good to see you. You look wonderful." I kissed her on the cheek, and she beamed at me. She and Senior had just gotten back from a trip to Greece, and there was color in both of their cheeks. Elizabeth had needed a hip replacement the year prior, and although she recovered remarkably well, this was the first trip they'd taken since, and clearly it had been good for both of them.

"You do, too." She beamed at me. "Motherhood agrees with you."

I'd been told that several times by various people and brushed it off, but when I'd seen pictures of Edward, David, and me that had been taken a few weeks ago, I actually agreed. Sure, my hips were a bit wider, my stomach was less toned, but the joy on my face was unmistakable. Plus, Edward had a way of making the changes in my body feel like improvements rather than flaws. During the pregnancy, he'd spent as much time as possible glued to me, his fingers softly running over the ever-expanding swell of my stomach. Every awkward, uncomfortable change in my body was a revelation through his eyes, and I quickly learned to appreciate the way he saw me. It wasn't hard to imagine the way Heidi had dealt with being pregnant and how much Edward had missed out on being a part of it.

So we reveled in it together.

It became a ritual every night for him to caress my body lovingly while we talked about the pregnancy and our plans for after the baby was born. Every time, it ended with a sweet kiss on my stomach, and I fell that much more in love with my husband. The man was by no means perfect, but he certainly was the most amazing person I had ever met.

The sight of him holding David for the first time made me love them both so much that I thought my heart would break. We certainly could have been happy without having a child together, but I was glad we'd made the decision to have one. Edward as a father was not something to be missed, and we both loved our son dearly.

Elizabeth moved on to greeting Liam and Edward and then quickly scooped up David. She was delighted to have a grandson and doted on him with all of the love a grandmother could give. I hugged Senior, and we talked for a little bit about their trip while we waited for the ceremony to start.

The rest of the family arrived en masse, with Esme and Carlisle, my parents, Alice and Jasper, Rosalie and Emmett arriving one right after each other. Heidi joined us a little later, and I nodded at her and smiled. Although everyone was polite to her, she always looked vaguely uncomfortable and out of place at large family gatherings.

She'd come a long way, though. As a member of the marketing department, I found myself working with her on a semi-regular basis, creating new campaigns for the hospital fundraisers, and we could have made each other's lives miserable in the last few years. I was grateful she'd chosen to take the higher road.

After Felix left, Heidi focused on Maggie. In the years since then, she'd dated a few men, all successful and well to do. Maggie was neutral on them, and none of the relationships ever seemed to go anywhere. Sometimes, I felt a bit sad for Heidi, knowing that she'd probably never know the kind of love that Edward and I had. But, she seemed content with her recent shift from vice president of the foundation at the hospital to board member. If work brought her more happiness than a romantic relationship, that was her choice. It wasn't my place to judge.

These days, Heidi worked with Edward more than me, and they were cordial at work. We all knew there were people looking over our shoulders, expecting drama from the three of us, but they'd been sadly disappointed.

Most importantly, Heidi had made a real effort to repair her relationship with her daughter, and I could tell that meant a great deal to both of them.

The graduation ceremony began, but it was like mine had been, long and tedious, and I found my mind wandering to think about our family. My parents were doing well, and my father had just a few more years until retirement. He and Maggie were closer than ever, and he still beamed when she called him Chief. She'd nearly given us all heart attacks when she told us about the time the Chief had taken her to the shooting range to teach her how to use a gun. But apparently, they'd had a blast.

Emmett had been promoted at work, and he and Rose had two beautiful little girls. She was still happily working as a teacher, and they'd finished remodeling their home.

Alice and Jasper had gotten married a few years back and seemed blissfully happy—if the way they were cuddling and flirting with each other at the moment was any indication anyway. It hadn't necessarily been easy for them though. Alice's past relationship had certainly led to some bumps in the road, but they had worked through them, and she had moved to Portland about six months after they met. Now, they seemed very content. There was no talk of babies yet, although I knew they both were hoping to have children eventually.

Tanya and Bryan had both graduated; him with a law degree, Tanya with one in business administration. Unfortunately, she hadn't been able to get hired at Providence, but she was still in Portland at one of the other hospitals. They had gotten married the same summer Edward and I did, although they hadn't had any children yet. With Bryan easily working eighty-hour weeks to hopefully make partner at the law firm he'd been hired at, children just weren't on their radar yet.

Garrett and Kate had become quite good friends of ours as well, and Edward and I often hosted dinner parties and more casual get-togethers. They got along well with our other friends, and we enjoyed having so many people to socialize with.

Edward often said I'd changed his life completely, and while that was true, he had changed my life just as much. Maybe settling into a serious relationship with a man seventeen years my senior when I was twenty-three, marrying Edward at twenty-four, and having a baby by twenty-six seemed hasty to some people, but I'd never regretted it.

I felt Edward's thumb skim across the back of my hand, and I tuned back in to listen to the speaker drone on and on. He brushed it slowly back and forth, making my skin prickle. His other arm had settled around my shoulders, and I snuggled as close as the seats would allow. David was happily snoozing in my father's arms, which made me smile.

Whatever my father's initial thoughts about Edward had been, he had more than admitted since then that he had been wrong. He loved Edward now, although he didn't necessarily say that out loud. He did say it to Maggie and David though, and I knew he was pleased by the happiness I'd found.

My attention returned to the graduation ceremony when it was time for Maggie to receive her diploma, and the noise our family made when her named was called was deafening. Tanya and Emmett's whistles were ear-shattering, and I winced when David started to cry. My mother was unsuccessful at soothing him, so she passed him back to me. I hummed a little, gently jostling him, and his tightly scrunched, red face gradually relaxed. Eventually, he fell asleep on my shoulder, and I pressed my lips to his downy dark hair and the soft skin below it.

Sometimes, the thought that he was a part of both myself and Edward astonished me. We had created him, made a whole new _life_ together. I didn't love him any more than I loved Maggie, but it did sometimes make me wistful that I hadn't given birth to her, despite the many reasons I knew it was a foolish, impossible thought.

**~BtBR~**

I still had my hands full with David when the ceremony finished, so I moved a bit more slowly down the steps than the rest of the crowd. I watched our family and Liam congratulate her as I approached. When I finally reached Maggie, she hugged me as tightly as she could, mindful of the baby, and kissed my cheek. "Hey, there you two are!" she said happily, holding her arms out to take David. She held him tight and rubbed her nose against his cheek. He made a soft sound and clung to her neck. I loved watching them interact, and they never failed to make me smile. She continued to talk to other people with David cradled in her arms, his small fists mussing the curls I was sure she'd spent time carefully smoothing this morning. She either didn't notice or didn't care.

"She's a lot like Edward, isn't she?" Heidi asked, and I turned to her and nodded. "She really loves kids."

"She does," I agreed.

"Goodness knows, she didn't get it from me," Heidi said.

I hummed noncommittally and then spoke. "There are plenty of good traits she got from you. Your drive and ambition got her here, graduating in three years with honors."

Heidi smiled genuinely and smoothed down the fabric of her stylish grey dress. "It's nice to see I did a few things right."

"You did more than a few things right," I said honestly. "Maggie has turned out to be an incredible young woman."

"Thank you," Heidi said. "I could say the same to you."

"Let's call it a group effort then," I said with a smile.

Heidi went to say something, but Maggie interrupted. "Apparently, I have to give Davey back to you," she said, handing him to me with a frown. "I'm supposed to pose for pictures, I guess."

I laughed and took him, settling him onto my hip.

Heidi smiled at her daughter. "Your hair's a bit … disheveled now, Maggie."

Maggie laughed and looked down at her hair to inspect the damage David had done. It was long now, well past her shoulders. She shrugged and flipped it over her shoulder, "Oh well."

I could see the perfectionist in Heidi warring with the desire to not be too critical of Maggie. With a small sigh, she nodded. "Never mind, you're perfect just the way you are."

Maggie leaned in and hugged her mother, whispering something in her ear that I couldn't hear.

She stepped away to take photos, and Heidi and I stood off to the side, watching her interact with the family. I watched as she laughed at something her grandmother Cullen said and saw my father hugging her, his mustache unable to hide the proud grin on his face. I caught a glimpse of my mother talking to Maggie, cupping her cheek to look into her eyes like she'd done a thousand times to me.

By the time Maggie was done, Heidi had slipped away, and Maggie and Liam came over to me. She leaned in to give David and me another hug.

"I didn't get a chance to say this earlier, sweetheart. Congratulations, I'm so proud of you," I said, cupping her cheek. I suddenly realized it was a habit I'd picked up from _my_ mother and chuckled to myself.

Her green eyes met mine, happiness making them bright and vibrant. "Thanks, Bella. That means the world to me."

She looked over at Liam, and when he caught her eye, he smiled at her like she was his whole world. They were so sweet together, and over the years, I'd grown to care about him very much, knowing how well they suited each other. Maggie had dated a little in high school, although she never seemed terribly serious about any of the guys. The minute she met Liam though, she was a goner. It didn't surprise me, she was so much like her father, and I was glad to see we'd helped show her what a happy, healthy romantic relationship could be like.

I saw Carlisle and Edward Sr. greet Liam, and they all struck up a conversation. Over the years, Liam had grown more and more comfortable with the family. The fact that Liam was a doctor gave them a lot in common, and once they were sure he was going to treat Maggie right, they welcomed him with open arms. Although, _my_ father still made him nervous. Understandable, as he'd been even less thrilled than Edward about the idea of "his" Maggie dating an older boy. I wanted to roll my eyes at the ridiculousness of fathers, but I appreciated the love that he had for my step daughter.

A short while later, we went outside to take more pictures, and I was hopeful that one of the ones of Maggie, David, Edward and myself would turn out well. I wanted to frame it and put it on my desk at work. Over the years, the collection of photos of my family had changed, but the first one of Edward and Maggie that she'd given me was still there.

After the photos were done, we found our vehicles and all headed for the restaurant where we were going to celebrate with dinner. Due to the large number of people attending, Edward had rented a private room. It was perhaps a bit extravagant, but we could afford it. Together, our combined income was more than enough for us, especially on top of the family money Edward had inherited and some investments he'd made. We had the means to live quite luxuriously, to be honest, but wanting both Maggie and David to grow up with a solid, hard-working attitude, we tried to keep from spoiling them.

Still, Maggie's accomplishment of not only graduating early, but graduating with honors, was something worth splurging on a bit.

Before she'd left for college, Edward and I had made a deal with her. To cover what scholarships hadn't, we, along with Heidi, would loan her the money for tuition, and a reasonable amount for living expenses, on the condition that if the money ran out before she was done with school, she'd have to get a job and pay us back a portion of the money. We'd allowed for a few exceptions, rewarding her with a spring break trip with some friends her sophomore year because she was doing so well. And we'd had to make a few adjustments as the cost of living rose. But she'd actually managed to come out under budget by graduating early, and our surprise for her tonight was that she'd get to keep the money. She had earned a scholarship to med school, so she was covered there. This would be for her to do whatever she wanted with. Although knowing her, she'd probably put it in savings. The girl was nothing if not practical and self-disciplined.

I slipped into the back seat of the car and maneuvered things so I could feed David. With a blanket thrown over us, it was private enough, and it would mean that he would, hopefully, be able to sleep right through our dinner celebration. Edward leaned on the open car door as we discussed the ceremony, although he chuckled when I admitted I'd barely been paying attention except for the parts that directly involved Maggie. When David was done, I watched as Edward buckled him into his car seat and smoothed down his hair. If there was one feature he'd certainly inherited from his father, it was the tendency for his hair to grow in every direction. He was drowsy and content, his face placid, and his cheeks just a little bit rosy.

"Hard to believe we have one kid graduated from college and another that's under a year," Edward said, rounding the corner of the vehicle and opening my door for me.

I smiled sadly at him. "Well, technically …" my voice trailed off.

"Hey, just because Maggie isn't biologically both of ours doesn't mean she isn't our kid." Edward chided me gently as he pulled me close.

"I know," I said with a sigh. "I do. I've just been feeling … wistful about it, I guess."

It was something we'd discussed before, and most days, I didn't even think twice about it. But today, it was hitting me for some reason.

Edward smoothed my hair away from my cheek and his other arm tightened around me. "You shouldn't."

"I know," I admitted.

"She loves you so much, Bella."

"And I love her. Nothing would or could change that. I just have these weird moments."

"No matter how we got here, the four of us are a family. You _know_ that."

"I do. Like I said, I'm being silly."

"I am glad you tell me when you're feeling that way."

I leaned forward and kissed him, brushing my thumb against the creases at the corners of his eyes. I still loved them like mad. "I will always tell you everything."

"We sure wouldn't have made it this far without good communication," he said, letting me go so I could slip into the car.

I replied once he'd closed my door and climbed into the driver's seat. "Very true," I agreed with a soft laugh, threading our fingers together.

"Now, we have a graduation party to get to," he reminded me. "We're hosting, and I think we'll be the last ones there."

We were the last ones there, but the restaurant staff was efficient and well-trained, and our family was already in the private room, sipping drinks and munching on appetizers.

Dinner was delicious and the mood around the table joyous and celebratory. I found myself watching Maggie and Liam interact. It made me smile to realize how much like Edward he was: thoughtful, solicitous, and unafraid of showing affection. They said that women often ended up with men who were like their father. I glanced down the table and saw my father offer my mother the last roll in the basket and whisper something in her ear that made her cheeks flush. My father and Edward were very different, but the love and respect they had for their wives was certainly there. Things were much the same between Maggie and Liam.

Maggie had found a man who loved and respected her as much as Edward loved and respected me, and what more could we ask for? Liam let his hand slide across her shoulder as he kissed her temple. She was laughing, her green eyes sparkling with love and happiness. She had grown, matured into a lovely young woman, inside and out. Her features were more refined, her demeanor that of an adult, but the biggest change was her attitude. Surly and hurting when we first met, she had lashed out at me. Now, after years of love and gentle guidance, she was poised, gracious, and loving. She was everything Edward had always hoped she'd grow up to be.

I caught a glimpse of Heidi sitting on the other side of Liam, quiet but happy to take part in her daughter's big day. She nodded at me and mouthed the words 'thank you'. I dipped my head in acknowledgement and tilted my glass toward her. I mouthed the words back to her. I wanted to thank her for giving birth to Maggie, for all of the choices, good and bad, that she'd made that had brought Edward and Maggie into my life at just the right moment.

If it had happened earlier or later, I might have missed the chance to be a part of their lives, and in many ways, I owed my current happiness to Heidi.

**~BtBR~**

After the delicious dinner was over, gifts were opened. Maggie reacted exactly like Edward and I expected, with tears, when we gave her the check for the remaining money in her college fund. I made a mental note to thank my parents, acknowledging their part in this. Because without them, it might not have occurred to Edward and me to do anything but give Maggie the money for school outright. Having to work to pay for school gave me a good head on my shoulders for money, and although we certainly had the means to pay for Maggie's education, giving her a goal to work toward had helped her value it.

Heidi was the first to leave the party, although she said a long and heartfelt goodbye to her daughter, and politely and sincerely thanked Edward and me. Her gift to Maggie had been a week-long trip to the Caribbean for just the two of them, and Maggie was thrilled. Heidi had long ago learned that Heidi's time meant more to Maggie than anything else.

After the party was over, I took one last look through the dining room to be sure we hadn't left anything, and Edward carried David out to the car.

Maggie and Liam were the last two out the door of the restaurant, and I noticed him head out to the parking lot as she fell in step beside me. "Did you have a nice time tonight?" I asked her, and she beamed at me.

"The best. Thank you."

"We loved doing this for you, you know that?"

"I know, but I still appreciate it." She leaned forward, hugging me tightly.

"We are so proud of you, sweetheart," I said, hugging her back.

It still startled me that I was shorter than Maggie now. Her senior year of high school, she'd had a growth spurt that put her an inch taller than me. I should have been used to it by now, but somehow, it still managed to surprise me every time.

The look on her face when she drew back was surprisingly serious, and it made me pause. "Are you okay?" I asked her, concerned.

She nodded and hesitated a moment before she spoke. "I just don't know if I ever really thanked you for what you did for me and Dad."

I looked at her, puzzled, as she continued. "I don't know, I guess being here today made me think about your graduation and what it must have been like for you. You were only a few years older than I am now, and it's incredible what you managed to do. You were this amazing role model for me, and so strong, dealing with Dad's past, and my mom, and all of _my_ bullshit. I don't know how you did it."

I sniffled as tears ran down my face. "Oh, Maggie, I loved you both. I did it because I couldn't imagine the two of you not being in my life."

She wiped a few tears away, too, and nodded. "I just don't know if I could do it."

I smiled at her through my tears. "Well, thankfully, you don't _have_ to deal with what your father and I did. You and Liam have had a much less complicated relationship."

She laughed softly. "Thank goodness for that."

I nodded my agreement. "I think getting married and focusing on school until you become Doctor and Doctor Sullivan will be enough."

At twenty, she was young, but neither Edward nor I had any doubts about her relationship with Liam or their readiness to be married.

"Just as long as you don't make me a twenty-seven year old grandmother," I teased with a smile.

Maggie laughed. "Well, you know we want kids someday, but I'd at least like to wait until I'm through my residency before that happens. After all, I have to get hired at Providence. You know I'm aiming for Uncle Carlisle's position someday."

Liam actually worked at Doernbecher Children's Hospital in Portland, but Maggie was sticking to her plan to work at Providence where the vast majority of our family either formerly or currently worked. We were all happy about it, but Edward Senior, in particular, was thrilled. He proudly bragged about his bright and ambitious granddaughter who'd be carrying on the Cullen tradition.

Maggie grew more serious. "I just hope you know how much I appreciate everything you did for me. I love my mom, you know I do, but _you_ are the one I've looked up to since you became a part of my life, and in a lot of ways, I've felt much closer to you. Mom's changed a lot, and we're so much closer than we were, but I have to wonder if any of that would have happened without you. I aspire to be half the woman you are. I just hope you know I'm grateful."

I reached for Maggie and hugged her again. "You never have to thank me for that; I did it because I love you, Maggie."

"I love you, too, Bella." She sighed and pulled back, looking at me seriously for a long moment. "Not to discount everything Dad did, because what he did was amazing. But believe me when I say _you_ completely changed my life. You might not have been my biological mother, or even the person who raised me most of my life, but Bella, you were a wonderful mother to me. Davey is so lucky to have you."

I burst into tears at her sweet words. Although I had never doubted for a moment how much Maggie cared about me, hearing her say that meant so much to me. And hearing her refer to me as her mother was almost more than I could take.

"Oh, Maggie," I choked out. She hugged me one last time and kissed me on the cheek as Liam pulled his car around.

"Love you, Bella. We'll see you at dinner next week, okay?"

"I love you, too, sweetheart," I said, trying to wipe away the wetness on my cheeks. "See you Sunday." I waved goodbye to her as she got in the car.

"Hey," I felt a soft touch on my shoulder, and Edward's arm slid around me. "You okay?"

"Our daughter is making me cry," I said through my tears.

"_Our_ daughter?" Edward said softly in my ear.

I pulled myself together the best I could and told him about the conversation Maggie and I'd had, nearly ending up in tears again. "Yeah, _our_ daughter."

"I'm such a lucky man to have you, Maggie, and David in my life," Edward said roughly, his lips brushing against my temple.

I pressed closer to him, feeling his arms close around me tightly. I was the lucky one. I had never imagined what would come of my impulsive desire for him. If I had, I wondered if I would have been brave enough to go for it. To cross the break room, to grab his tie and kiss him as if our careers—our futures—weren't hanging in the balance.

Maybe not knowing just what we were risking had allowed me to be bold enough to take the first step. All I knew was that I was grateful I'd done it. Every day, I took a moment to remind myself just how lucky I was to have found Edward. To have become a part of his life and of Maggie's.

I would never know what it was that had prompted me to do something so risky. Was it lust? Or something deeper? Some nudge from fate guiding me down the path I needed to take, perhaps?

I had been stupid and reckless, coming on to my boss at work, pursing something with a man seventeen years my senior. And yet, I'd been given the greatest reward of all in that break room.

Love.

* * *

**Notes:** Now that we're at the end of the story, I hardly know what to say and I'm sure you're struggling too. I would love to hear from the regular reviewers what you thought of the final piece of the story. And for those of you who haven't reviewed, I'd love to know what you thought of the story as a whole. Whether it's constructive criticism, a quick note saying you enjoyed it, or letting me know what your favorite part of the story was, I'd really like to hear from you. It would mean the world to me.

I'm sure you're wondering what I will be posting next. I am working on a continuation of my o/s "Blood Dream". Here is the summary for the o/s: Investment banker, Edward Cullen, wakes up covered in blood with a black lace thong on his floor and no memory of the night before except for an image of a pair of bright red eyes.

The o/s WILL be re-posted as the first chapter of the continuation, which will be titled "Dreaming in Blood". It's going to be dark and definitely non-canon. There will be canon couples, but don't expect the typical personalities for the characters, this is definitely a vamp story with a twist.

I have the story partially written and would like to take a few weeks to make some more progress on that and get caught up on review replies. Expect the story to begin posting in Mid-July.

Also, I have written a story for the Fandom for Oklahoma fundraiser called "Doc McCarty and the Big, Purple Cat Toy". If you haven't made a donation yet and are interested in reading this story, please do so!

Summary: Can a tabby cat with an appetite for silicone toys bring together a lonely computer programmer and a hot veterinarian looking for love? Slash Emmett/Edward

Here is the link to donate and read a teaser for the o/s:  oklahoma#fandomcause#info/?page_id=19

I have a Facebook group called Discordia's Library. If you'd like to join, add me as a friend on FB, and let me know you'd like to be added to the group.

Please stop by to chat or look for teasers in the following places:

Facebook: www#facebook#com/DiscordiaWriter

Facebook Group: Discordia's Library

Twitter: DiscordiaWrites

Tumblr:  discordiawriter#tumblr#com/

(Copy and paste the link and replace the # with a period)


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